Trey Pollard, trey.pollard@sierraclub.org
San Juan, Puerto Rico -- Communities spanning the entire island of Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean have suffered through Hurricane Maria just weeks after unprecedented devastation throughout the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Harvey and earlier havoc caused by Hurricane Irma.
The Sierra Club is currently contributing 100% of funds raised through hurricane relief donations to community-led recovery efforts in areas impacted by Maria, having already raised $60,000 for Irma recovery in Puerto Rico. Contributions can be made here.
In response, Ramón Cruz of the Sierra Club Board of Directors and a Puerto Rican native released the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened to see the devastation and destruction that has been brought to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean by the unprecedented strength of Hurricane Maria. Coming on the heels of Irma, Maria has shattered communities and wrought havoc all across the island, and our thoughts are with all those first responders and volunteers who are working to save those in immediate need and those who have had their lives forever changed by this storm.
“This tragedy is compounded because Maria has made so many other environmental justice, economic, and social crises much worse. Like other recent superstorms that have grown exponentially stronger because of the climate crisis, Maria has hit low-income and marginalized communities that were already confronting injustice the hardest. Families across Puerto Rico were already facing the hardship created by generations of an inequitable relationship with the United States and foreign companies -- inequity manifested in vulnerable housing, a lack of potable water for many, and an electric grid so fragile and outdated it is now estimated to be out of service for upwards of six months. Additionally the government of Puerto Rico has permitted zoning variances and failed to plan in ways that put communities at even graver risk. These conditions mean a storm of Maria’s magnitude has made a dangerous situation much worse. Beyond that, many Puerto Ricans who fought back when corporate polluters got a license to use parts of the island as a coal ash dump are now anxiously awaiting word as to how much of this toxic waste is contaminating our communities. That is especially true after the plant owner, AES, was fined for not covering its coal ash mountains when they were in the path of Irma.
“Puerto Rico is resilient. We will recover and we will rebuild. When we do so, it is more important than ever that we do so in a way that is just, equitable and comprehensive, lifting up those who were hit the hardest and prioritizing people rather than corporate polluters. In the face of the urgency of rebuilding we will work to ensure that we don’t repeat the mistakes that have lead us to this disaster. We will work to see that waste is dealt with appropriately, that permits aren’t dangerously fast tracked. There is an opportunity to make it right, better building codes, more sound land use regulations, especially when it comes to flood prone areas, and a grid that goes underground or looks more into distributed generation that can accommodate renewable energy. The damage this storm has caused will be felt for months and years to come, and only by working together can we can ensure we will arise anew with the bonds of our community unbroken.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.