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This document is a transcript of a briefing held by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) on June 4, 2020, focusing on resilience initiatives, energy democracy, and public health in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following natural disasters.

A June 2020 briefing transcript featuring Margarita Varela-Rosa of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources and Ernesto Diaz of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. The discussion focuses on the challenges of coastal resilience, the impact of major natural disasters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the barriers to accessing federal funding for recovery and nature-based infrastructure.

This briefing transcript features a discussion between community advocate Ruth Santiago and Dr. Greg Guannel regarding energy transition, public health, and coastal resilience in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) details eight case studies of deep energy retrofits implemented via Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) in federal and municipal settings. It identifies six best practices for achieving significant energy reductions—averaging 58% across the highlighted projects—without upfront capital costs or Congressional appropriations.