AGP Executive Report

Coastal Development Clash: Puerto Rico authorized the $2 billion Esencia luxury project in Cabo Rojo, covering 2,000 acres with hotels, residences, golf courses, and plans to restore wetlands and rehabilitate dunes and mangroves—while environmentalists warn it was approved with too little public scrutiny and could strain resources and wildlife. Marine Health Alert: A new report says nearly 30 million tons of sargassum were recorded in July across the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, and scientists say this year’s bloom is growing locally in the region—smothering shorelines, cutting marine life, and disrupting tourism. Water Crisis Support: Connecticut lawmakers discussed options to help Puerto Rico’s worsening water shortages, including potentially sending National Guard troops to share resources as the island battles leaks and aging aqueduct failures. Connectivity Resilience: Claro outlined a $35 million plan to add another AMX-1 shore landing in Puerto Rico, aiming to reduce reliance on a single entry point and improve service continuity during disruptions. Heat & Flood Watch: A Caribbean climate outlook warns of intense heat, uneven hurricane activity, and flooding risk from heavy rainfall later in the wet season, with warming tied to broader climate change.

Water Crisis Response: Connecticut lawmakers say they’re weighing help for Puerto Rico’s severe water shortage, including possible National Guard support, as residents deal with outages tied to an aging aqueduct system. Marine Heat & Habitat Stress: A new ESA 2026 finding says fire is overtaking drought as the top driver of western forest loss, underscoring how climate pressures are reshaping ecosystems. Sargassum Surge: Scientists report record sargassum—about 27 million metric tons—blanketing Caribbean and Gulf coasts, with this year’s bloom growing locally in places like the Caribbean rather than just arriving by currents, threatening marine life and tourism. Coastal Safety & History: Searchers located the wreck of Pan Am’s 1952 Clipper Endeavor off Puerto Rico using autonomous sonar, a discovery tied to modern flight safety briefings and flotation rules. Wildlife Crime: Critically endangered sawfish are still being killed for rostral teeth turned into cockfighting spurs, adding pressure to an already collapsing species. Local Culture & Preservation: The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in Chicago received top U.S. accreditation, boosting opportunities to preserve and share Puerto Rican heritage.

Insect Decline Watch: Maine residents are noticing fewer monarchs and other insects after years of global insect drops, raising alarms about pollination and food-chain impacts. Puerto Rico Community & Education: Dorado inaugurated a new Teresa Préstamo Bermúdez Head Start and Early Head Start center, a $6.3M investment meant to support young children and families. Local Water & Land Use: A new Taco Bell proposal in St. Johns County is moving through an environmental resource permit process, highlighting how development rules shape flooding risk and water quality. Energy Resilience in the Caribbean: After Hurricane Irma, the U.S. Virgin Islands is linking home solar and batteries into a virtual power plant to stabilize the grid faster. Climate & Disaster Outlook: Forecasts suggest August in Florida could be quieter than usual due to El Niño-driven wind shear, while drought conditions shift across the U.S. Wildlife Safety: Hidden hazards from harmful algal blooms are a growing summer concern, with guidance on staying safe.

Local Infrastructure & Resilience: Dorado inaugurated a new Teresa Préstamo Bermúdez Head Start and Early Head Start center, a $6.3M investment meant to serve hundreds of children with modern, safe facilities. Municipal Finance: San Juan is set to debut a standalone municipal bond market sale, planning $122.2M in bonds backed by local property taxes—an issue that can shape how quickly environmental and public works projects get funded. Water & Land Use: Taco Bell is seeking an environmental resource permit preapplication for a new St. Johns County site near wetlands and flood-sensitive areas, highlighting how development approvals can affect water quality and flooding risk. Energy After Disaster: The U.S. Virgin Islands is expanding a “virtual power plant” approach that links rooftop solar and home batteries to stabilize the grid after Irma, reducing the need for new generation or power lines. Wildlife Protection: The Dominican Republic’s crackdown on illegal exotic animal ownership is sending more confiscated species to the country’s only zoo, with seizures rising sharply and flamingos among the most targeted. Climate Risk Context: A new look at hurricane history notes Florida has seen 23 hurricanes in August over the past century, even as forecasts suggest a quieter month ahead.

Virtual Power Plant After Irma: The U.S. Virgin Islands is rolling out VIBES 2.0, linking rooftop solar and home batteries into a shared “virtual power plant” that can respond in sub-seconds to help stabilize the grid after long outages. AI for Water Security: Prairie View A&M’s Dr. Ali Fares judged the White House’s inaugural Presidential AI Challenge, where thousands of students—including from Puerto Rico—built AI projects touching environmental sustainability and water security. Puerto Rico Community Grants: Banesco USA awarded grants to five nonprofits across Puerto Rico, backing education, affordable housing, health, entrepreneurship, and services for vulnerable groups. Single-Use Plastics Rules Moving: Puerto Rico’s working committee under Law 47-2025 is finalizing recommendations to implement Law 51 on single-use plastics, with fines delayed to extend an education phase. Wildlife Seizures Pressure Zoos: The Dominican Republic’s lone zoo is becoming a holding site for confiscated exotic animals as seizures surge, including flamingos taken from habitats and sold to hotels. PFAS Cleanup Delays: Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed the Defense Department over PFAS investigation and cleanup timeline delays affecting dozens of sites, raising risks to drinking water.

Single-Use Plastics Rollout: Puerto Rico’s Law 51 on single-use plastics is still in its implementation phase, with a working committee finalizing recommendations under Law 47-2025—fines were delayed to keep an education period going, and businesses reported losses during the transition. PFAS Accountability: U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed the Defense Department over PFAS remediation delays that could stretch timelines by up to 20 years across 178 sites, including Wisconsin bases—raising concerns for drinking-water safety. Water & Ecosystem Health: Harmful algal blooms are being flagged as a growing summer risk, with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands among places where blooms have been reported, threatening people and pets. Wildlife Trafficking Crackdown: The Dominican Republic’s lone zoo is taking in confiscated exotic animals as seizures surge—officials say thousands of species have been seized this year, straining the facility. Puerto Rico Learning & Sustainability: A new experiential learning collaboration is sending students to Puerto Rico to study community, energy, and sustainable development firsthand. Regional Climate/Heat Adaptation: A Los Angeles neighborhood test found solar-reflective pavement can cut surface temperatures and ease heatwave conditions.

Single-Use Plastics Policy: Puerto Rico is moving toward final implementation of its single-use plastics law, with a working committee under DACO still finalizing recommendations after an extension request—meaning the next enforcement steps could be coming soon. PFAS Accountability: U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed the Defense Department over PFAS remediation delays that could stretch timelines by up to 20 years at dozens of sites, raising fresh concerns about drinking-water safety. Water & Health Risks: Officials are warning about harmful algal blooms, including reports that these toxins can show up in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands—an urgent reminder for beachgoers and pet owners. Local Energy & Resilience: A Puerto Rico-based experiential learning collaboration is using the island’s energy crisis and sustainable development challenges to teach students through on-the-ground study. Coastal & Climate Tech: Experts say AI drought forecasting depends on better access to weather and water-use data, linking early warning systems to real-world climate resilience planning. Puerto Rico Tourism: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are pushing a multi-destination tourism push in Spain, aiming to grow regional travel while tying it to sustainability goals.

Single-Use Plastics Enforcement: Puerto Rico’s Law 47-2025 working committee is finalizing recommendations to implement the territory’s single-use plastics rules, with DACO coordinating input from DRNA, business groups, and recycling industry reps. Harmful Algal Blooms: Officials warn that harmful algal blooms (including in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) can show up as scum or foam and may be hard to spot, posing health risks to people and pets. Water & Drought Forecasting: Virginia Tech experts say AI can help predict drought earlier, but it only works if satellite and water-use data collection keeps expanding. Puerto Rico Tourism & Sustainability: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are pushing a multi-destination tourism strategy in Spain, aiming to boost air connectivity and joint initiatives tied to sustainability. Local Energy Resilience: UPR’s coastal research institute received $1.39M to expand erosion planning, strengthening coastal risk management. Media Accountability: Nielsen plans to stop audience measurement services in Puerto Rico by end of 2026, raising concerns about how the island’s media market will be tracked going into 2027.

Tourism & Sustainability: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are pushing a new multi-destination strategy in Spain, with the Puerto Rico Tourism Company promoting the alliance through Discover Puerto Rico and campaigns aimed at boosting air connectivity and “sustainable” growth in the regional tourism sector. Coastal & Water Quality: Beach.com’s Global Beach Index 2026 crowned Trunk Bay in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the world’s best beach, using NASA satellite data plus water clarity and large-scale review analysis—highlighting how protected areas and clear waters can drive both conservation value and visitor demand. Climate & Disaster Preparedness: A new documentary and panel event in Florida, “Our Gulf, Our Future: Voices from Cedar Key,” will focus on hurricane recovery and resilience in an environmentally sensitive coastal community, tying storm rebuilding to health and safety planning. Energy & Environment: Puerto Rico’s drought monitoring is stepping up as reservoir levels keep declining, underscoring ongoing water-stress pressures on the island. Local Energy: Mayagüez is investing $2.6 million in a solar energy project for the Central American Stadium, adding to Puerto Rico’s push for cleaner power.

Puerto Rico Media: Nielsen says it will stop its audience-ratings measurement services on the island at the end of 2026, raising fears that Puerto Rico could enter 2027 without a shared, independent “audience currency” for advertisers and media buyers. Energy & Resilience (Mayagüez): The municipality of Mayagüez starts a $2.595 million solar-plus-battery project at the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium to cut electricity use and keep operations running during outages. Clean Energy Finance: Enhanced Capital released its 2025 Community Impact Report, highlighting environmental sustainability investments, including clean energy capacity installed and deployment of private capital across underserved communities. Procurement Modernization (ASG/PR): Glass announced an AI-powered procurement catalog built with Puerto Rico’s ASG to standardize how government purchases are classified, aiming to improve oversight and public spending accuracy. Wildlife & Climate Science: The Ecological Society of America’s annual meeting opened in Salt Lake City amid warnings about the Great Salt Lake’s tipping-point conditions, spotlighting how climate-driven water loss is reshaping ecosystems. Disaster Preparedness: A new preparedness guide urges Puerto Rico residents and families to build go-kits and stay-at-home kits and plan for up to two weeks after major weather disruptions.

Energy Resilience in Puerto Rico: UMass Amherst is convening Puerto Rican and Western Massachusetts partners to share lessons on energy resilience after Hurricane Maria, with a bilingual forum in Holyoke focused on climate justice and community-led solutions. Local Solar Push: Mayagüez has started a $2.595 million solar project at the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium, adding photovoltaic power plus battery storage to cut electricity costs and keep operations running during outages. Hurricane Tracking: The National Hurricane Center is monitoring Hurricane Genevieve in the Eastern Pacific, warning that even weaker storms can trigger inland flash flooding. Air Travel Update: San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport saw passenger traffic drop 3.5% in the first half of the year, handling 3.46M travelers. Marine Life & Contamination: A PBS feature on Vieques highlights how climate change and pollution are reshaping fishing and reef life for local communities. Wildlife Protection Policy: The Trump administration is rolling back Endangered Species Act habitat protections, arguing states can manage safeguards—while experts warn most states lack comparable protections.

Energy Resilience: UMass Amherst is connecting Puerto Rico and Western Massachusetts through “Puerto Rican Power,” a forum and longer-term partnership focused on energy resilience and climate justice after lessons from Hurricane Maria. Renewables in Puerto Rico: Mayagüez has started a $2.595 million solar-plus-battery project at the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and keep power during outages. Marine Life & Climate Impacts: A PBS feature, “Farmers of the Sea,” highlights how climate change and contamination are reshaping Vieques fishing—reefs and species are changing, pushing catches farther and reducing lobster and conch. Conservation Policy: The Trump administration’s rollback of Endangered Species Act habitat protections is sparking warnings that states can’t fully replace federal safeguards. Wildlife Trade Watch: A new study finds critically endangered sawfish teeth are still being used as cockfighting spurs across Latin America despite bans. Local Air Travel: San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín Airport saw passenger traffic drop 3.5% in the first half of the year.

Solar Push in Mayagüez: The municipality has started a $2.595 million photovoltaic solar project with battery storage at the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and keep power during outages. Energy Resilience Link-Up: A UMass Amherst initiative is connecting Puerto Rico and Western Massachusetts through community-led conversations on energy resilience and climate justice after lessons from Hurricane Maria. Vieques Fishing Under Pressure: A PBS-featured documentary, “Farmers of the Sea,” highlights how climate change and contamination tied to decades of Navy bombing range impacts are reshaping marine life and lobster and conch fishing around Vieques. Endangered Species Protections Rollback: The Trump administration is removing federal habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act, with experts warning states can’t fully replace the lost safeguards. Puerto Rico Air Travel Dip: ASUR reports San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín airport handled 3.46M passengers in the first half, down 3.5% year over year. Coqui Frog Risk in Hawaii: Puerto Rico-native coqui frogs are being reported again on Kauai, prompting calls to stop new introductions through plant and nursery shipments.

Solar Resilience in Mayagüez: The municipality has started a $2.595 million photovoltaic solar project for the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium, adding a Battery Energy Storage System to cut electricity costs and keep stadium operations running during outages. Energy Resilience Across the Diaspora: UMass Amherst is connecting Puerto Rico and Western Massachusetts through a forum and research effort focused on post–Hurricane Maria lessons, climate justice, and community-led energy resilience. Vieques Fishing Under Pressure: A PBS documentary, “Farmers of the Sea,” highlights how climate change and contamination are reshaping Vieques fishing, with residents reporting reef and catch declines. Local Air Travel Watch: ASUR reports passenger traffic at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport fell 3.5% in the first half of the year, with 125,400 fewer travelers than last year. Endangered Species Rule Shift: The Trump administration’s rollback of habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act is drawing warnings that states may not be able to replace federal safeguards. Wildlife Trade Alert: A new study says sawfish teeth are still being used as cockfighting spurs in Latin America despite bans, including links to Puerto Rico.

Climate & Coasts: The Coastal Research and Planning Institute of Puerto Rico (CoRePI-PR) received a $1.39M CDBG-MIT grant extension to expand coastal erosion education and planning, aiming to help 44 coastal municipalities prepare for sea-level rise, stronger storms, and worsening erosion. Energy Resilience: UMass Amherst is connecting Puerto Rico and Western Massachusetts through a project built on Hurricane Maria lessons, including a bilingual forum focused on climate justice and more equitable, resilient power systems. Marine Life & Contamination: A new PBS film, “Farmers of the Sea,” spotlights Vieques fishers facing shrinking catches as reefs change and pollution and warming push fishing farther from shore. Local Planning Capacity: The Puerto Rico government is stepping up drought monitoring as reservoir levels keep declining, underscoring water stress risks for communities. Public Health: Dengue cases in the U.S. have topped 500 in 2026, with the Aedes aegypti mosquito expanding north—an added pressure point for Puerto Rico’s region. Wildlife Protection Policy: The Trump administration rolled back Endangered Species Act habitat protections, and experts warn states may not be able to fill the gap. Infrastructure: FEMA approved more than $36M for Puerto Rico hurricane recovery projects, supporting rebuilding and resilience work.

Coastal Resilience Funding: The University of Puerto Rico’s Coastal Research and Planning Institute (CoRePI-PR) won a $1.39M grant extension to expand its coastal erosion education and planning work, boosting the project’s total investment to $3.81M and aiming to help 44 coastal municipalities plan for climate-driven erosion and harsher storms. Public Health & Climate Risk: Dengue cases in the U.S. have topped 500 in 2026 as the Aedes aegypti mosquito expands north, widening the risk window for local transmission. Wildlife Protection Policy: The federal government is no longer protecting endangered species habitats, with experts warning states can’t fully replace the lost safeguards. Infrastructure for Emergencies: The U.S. House approved $33.5M for an emergency water treatment system at Fort Buchanan, plus continued authorization for microgrid and backup power work. Local Environment Watch: Coqui frogs—native to Puerto Rico—are being reported again in Hawaii’s Kauai, prompting renewed invasive-species efforts.