Our Power Puerto Rico for a Just Recovery & Resilient Rebuild

Congressional House Representatives will be voting this week on the Federal Aid Package for Puerto Rico before they go on recess.  The Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) called for A National Day of Action on Wednesday, October 11th, to demand that Congress pass an immediate federal aid package designed for the Just Recovery and Resilient Rebuild of Puerto Rico.

The relief package must include debt relief, the repeal of the Jones Act, transparency in distribution of resources, an assessment of infrastructure, and additional provisions detailed in an online petition that was delivered to US representatives the day of the mass actions.  Angela Adrar, Executive Director of CJA, explains why action is needed now to help Puerto Rico develop a sustainable and pragmatic approach to recovery.

“Wall Street’s business-as-usual approach to relief and recovery has led to land-grabs and riches off the misfortune of vulnerable communities.  If we act with a clear vision for a Just Recovery, Puerto Rico can serve as a model for areas suffering the same climate injustice.”

What are you doing today for the National Call to Action?  In Washington D.C., Our Power Campaign will begin its Congressional Visit tour and drop petitions off to provide #JustRecovery for Puerto Rico and a lift to the Jones Act.  You can follow their progress on Twitter:  @CJAOurPower.

Hurricane Maria’s Devastation of Puerto Rico
On September 20th, Hurricane Maria, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds, struck Puerto Rico full force only days after the Irma storm. Two weeks later, Puerto Rico’s 3.4 million residents are suffering intensely in what has quickly become a major humanitarian and environmental justice disaster.

Hurricane Maria attacked Puerto Rico with devastating winds, drenched the island with destructive flooding, crippled communications, decimated buildings, and damaged a dam that placed  downstream residents at risk of catastrophe. But help has been slow to come to communities where the destruction is described as “apocalyptic,” officials and residents argue.

A systemic change in relief and response is needed, as well as an engineering vision for sustainable infrastructure that can withstand category 5+ storms, which are predicted by scientists to become more commonplace as a consequence of the changing climate.

Read more at Our Power Puerto Rico for a Just Recovery & Resilient Rebuild