Newly sworn-in EPA Regional Administrator Peter Lopez is traveling to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands beginning on Monday to meet with government officials and survey some of EPA’s on-the-ground efforts in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the EPA made known via release Sunday.
Mr. Lopez’s focus will be seeing firsthand the devastating aftermath of the hurricanes, EPA’s work to respond, and identifying possible unmet needs related to the federal agency’s work.
“The people of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island have had their lives turned upside down by the devastation left in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. On this trip, I want to engage with people from communities and territorial and local governments to make sure my team at the EPA continues to help lift these communities up,” Mr. Lopez said. “I understand that people are really struggling, and I know that we will need to use all of our substantive problem-solving skills to meet the challenges that most certainly lay ahead.”
The EPA has invited the media to join Mr. Lopez during his first visit to the Puerto Rico community of Toa Baja. Additional field visits are also planned and will be open to the media as well, the EPA said.
During the regional director’s stop in Toa Baja, there will be a visit to the community’s landfill to discuss waste segregation, particularly household hazardous wastes, white goods, and electronic waste, with Mayor Bernardo Márquez and residents who live nearby staging areas.
So far, no site visit in the U.S. Virgin Islands has been announced.
Tags: epa, hurricane irma, hurricane maria, puerto rico, us virgin islands
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