Sustainable, Democratic Energy and Public Health

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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a series of one-hour online briefings about resilience initiatives in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and their ongoing recovery from back-to-back natural disasters over the last several years. Every U.S. coast is facing climate adaptation challenges due to rising sea levels and other coastal hazards, but island economies are especially vulnerable. The Fourth National Climate Assessment points to the small size and relative isolation of the U.S. Caribbean islands (including Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island), which means their “social, economic, and ecological systems are likely to be more sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation than similar systems in the mainland United States.”

Day Three focused on local initiatives for energy democracy and public health, an ongoing effort. Ruth Santiago, community advocate and EarthJustice board member, discussed the campaign to remediate coal-ash sites and other harmful legacies of the island’s fossil fuel-based energy system and current efforts to upgrade the outdated and storm-damaged energy infrastructure. She also discussed the strength of Puerto Rico’s commitment to a renewable energy economy. Greg Guannel, Director of the Green Caribbean Center at the University of the Virgin Islands, discussed his work to update the U.S. Virgin Islands’ hazard mitigation plan for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including strategies for resilient housing, infrastructure, natural systems for coastal protection, and a dedication to community involvement.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ruth Santiago, Community Advocate; Board Member, EarthJustice

• In September 2017, Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico, causing widespread devastation of the island and its people. Puerto Rico’s electrical energy distribution system was significantly damaged.
• After the hurricane, some areas of the island were without power for up to 10 months. In these areas, the use of diesel-powered generators became popular. This led to the inhalation of toxic diesel fumes, shortages of fuel, and overall human suffering.
• The impacts of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico’s energy sector highlight the need for communities to be active participants in energy issues.
• The island has a legacy of coal-fired power plants and piles of coal-ash waste that continue to pose a health hazard.
• Currently, Puerto Rico mainly relies on imported natural gas for most of its power generation. Renewable energy, on the other hand, accounts for only 2.3-2.5 percent of energy generation.
• The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the dominant energy provider in Puerto Rico, is calling for a 20-year plan for the island to rebuild the same electrical energy distribution system that was in place before Maria.
• PREPA is also recommending construction of new liquified natural gas (LNG) ports in Puerto Rico, as well as new methane gas infrastructure in both onshore and offshore locations. This action would protract the island’s reliance on natural gas, rather than redirect the territory towards renewable energy sources.
• Queremos Sol is proposing a different energy vision that relies on a combination of measures for energy efficiency, with solar power as the main source of energy. The organization believes that rooftop solar energy is technologically viable for Puerto Rico, aligns with the interest of Puerto Rican communities, benefits the local economy, and addresses issues of environmental justice, including jobs for former PREPA workers. Solar energy is also more cost effective than the plans proposed by PREPA.

Greg Guannel, Director, Caribbean Green Technology Center, University of the Virgin Islands

• In September 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the U.S. Virgin Islands. Just two weeks earlier, the islands had been struck by Hurricane Irma.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands are vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, droughts, and landslides, most of which are amplified by climate change. Storms, in particular, have been increasing in frequency and intensity since the 1970s.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan outlines key strategies for recovery and risk reduction initiatives. Currently, this plan is being updated and is set to be released by the end of next year. It is a comprehensive perspective on how to tackle risk reduction in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• While many hazard mitigation plans focus on physical infrastructure, energy, and transportation, the updated U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan recognizes social infrastructure as equally vital for risk reduction.
• There are many people and communities that are vulnerable and suffering in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the plan aims to develop social infrastructure that can support people both before and after disasters.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan is being developed with the knowledge that current land use practices on the islands create