CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PUERTO RICO RESIDENT COMMISSIONER
LUIS G. FORTUÑO
| For Immediate Release Monday August 25, 2008 |
| Fortuño Inspects Portugués & Bucaná projects in Ponce Congressional Grants for the Project Near $90 Million |
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PONCE, P.R. – Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner, Luis Fortuño, visited the construction site of the new Portugués dam in Ponce, for which he has obtained $90 million in special grants from Congress. The project, which is the most important flood control and water supply project in Puerto Rico, has entered its third construction phase consisting of earth movement works.
Since the project began in 1975, it has included canalization of the Portugués and Bucaná rivers in Ponce, construction of the Cerrillo dam, construction of recreational areas and, finally, construction of the Portugués dam. This project developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proven to be effective in controlling the floods that had previously caused multi-million dollar losses and deaths in the Ponce region.
“Flood control projects have always been high in my list of priorities, because they are necessary to prevent property damage and destruction. This project gained more importance during hurricane season.”, said Fortuño, who obtained approval of $57.1 million for flood control projects under the “Appropriations for Water and Energy Projects Bill for Fiscal Year 2009”.
This bill, which has been approved by the powerful Appropriations Committee, includes:
- $45 million to continue construction of the Portugués dam in Ponce.
- $12 million for the Puerto Nuevo River flood control project, which would be used to complete the phase that impacts the Bechara Sector on Kennedy Avenue; and,
- $95,000 to prepare a feasibility study to dredge the Arecibo Bay.
“With these grants we will be able to put an end to the flood risks faced by hundreds of thousands of constituents in Puerto Rico’s south coast and in the metropolitan San Juan area." Said the Resident Commissioner, who has obtained more than $135 million for flood control projects in the Portugués & Bucaná rivers in Ponce and the Puerto Nuevo river in San Juan, among others.
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