Bill Overview
Title: To require a report on Puerto Rico's progress toward rebuilding the electric grid and detailing the efforts the Federal Government is undertaking to expedite such rebuilding, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to report to Congress on Puerto Rico's progress toward rebuilding the electric grid and on the federal government's efforts to expedite such rebuilding. Such report must contain an analysis of the state of Puerto Rico's electric grid, an analysis of the state of Puerto Rico's renewable energy generation and storage capacities, recommendations for power companies and governments to reduce the number of outages and blackouts, proposals for legislative actions and funding needed to improve the process of fund disbursement for critical projects related to electric grids, and a plan for expediting such rebuilding by not later than three months after the report is submitted.
Sponsors: Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals residing in Puerto Rico
Estimated Size: 3250000
- Puerto Rico's population is primarily dependent on its electric grid for daily activities and businesses.
- The rebuilding of the electric grid will directly impact Puerto Rican residents by potentially providing more reliable power after completion.
- Enhanced renewable energy generation and storage will support sustainable energy practices for Puerto Rico's citizens.
- The federal oversight and recommended actions can determine if local businesses experience improved service conditions.
Reasoning
- To simulate the impact of this policy, we need to consider that the primary beneficiaries are individuals in Puerto Rico, given the focus on rebuilding its electric grid.
- Other residents in the U.S. mainland may not feel a direct impact unless they have personal or business ties to Puerto Rico, or work in sectors related to this infrastructure development.
- Residents in Puerto Rico are most likely to experience changes in wellbeing scores due to improved energy reliability and possibly energy costs.
- Mainland residents might perceive some indirect benefits or costs depending on national budget allocations or economic ties to Puerto Rican developments.
Simulated Interviews
Small Business Owner (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reliable electricity is crucial for my bakery. Any improvement in the grid will definitely help my business.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Electrical Engineer (Ponce, Puerto Rico)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could mean more jobs and opportunities in my field, especially if renewable energy becomes a focus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Logistics Manager (Miami, Florida)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want to see Puerto Rico thrive, as my parents still live there. This policy gives me hope.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Energy Analyst (Houston, Texas)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While it doesn't directly impact me, it is a positive step for sustainable energy policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Teacher (Rincón, Puerto Rico)
Age: 62 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about power outages with my condition. Fixing the grid is very important for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Nonprofit Worker (New York City, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seeing support for Puerto Rico feels good, but it doesn't directly affect my work here.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Farmer (San German, Puerto Rico)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this leads to more affordable electricity. It's tough to keep costs down.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Policy Analyst (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Important for national policy analytics, but local effects don't reach here.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
IT Specialist (Orlando, Florida)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I care about this personally; it could mean better conditions for my family back home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired Veteran (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved grid reliability could significantly raise my quality of life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2500000 (Low: $2000000, High: $3000000)
Year 2: $500000 (Low: $400000, High: $600000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The report may guide future legislative decisions or investments that could significantly impact Puerto Rico's infrastructure, but such impacts are not part of this cost analysis.
- The cost is primarily associated with research, analysis, and administrative work of the agencies involved.
- This cost does not cover any implementation of recommendations.