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(Two-tier plebiscite will gauge voters’ support of current territorial status, as well as non-territorial status preferences)

Ponce, Puerto Rico – For the first time ever, Puerto Rico’s voters will face in 2012 an up or down vote on their support for the island’s current status as a U.S. territory.  The vote is part of a two-tier status consultation that Puerto Rico Governor Luis G. Fortuño signed into law today, during a ceremony held in the hometown of his Republican predecessor and political mentor, former Governor Luis A. Ferré.

The November 6, 2012 status choice ballot, which will be included as a separate ballot the same day voters also choose their Governor, non-voting Member of Congress, Mayors and legislators, will pose two questions to the island’s electorate.  Voters will first be asked if they agree with maintaining the current territorial political condition, to which they can answer either yes or no. 

Irrespective of voters’ answer to the first question, voters will also be asked to express their preference for one of the three non-territorial status options recognized by Congress, Republican and Democratic presidential administrations as well as the United Nations: statehood, independence or free association.

“By virtue of this status consultation, we will know clearly, first, whether or not our people wish to maintain the current territorial status and second, which of the non-territorial alternatives enjoys the most support among Puerto Ricans,” said Governor Fortuño.

The Governor emphasized that the two-tier configuration of the 2012 status consultation takes into account a series of findings and recommendations from the three most recent reports of the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status (2005, 2007 and 2011), as well as previous experiences with both local and federal status initiatives.  “This status consultation also fulfills a pledge we made to voters in 2008, that during this term they would have the opportunity to express their preference for Puerto Rico’s future,” said the Governor.

“The island’s status is an issue that affects every aspect of our daily lives, including employment opportunities, health services, public safety, our children’s education and our very rights as American citizens,” said the Governor.  “The moment has arrived for our people to act decisively to resolve Puerto Rico’s status issue once and for all.  When the people make their historic choice next November, it will then be the turn of elected officials – both in San Juan and Washington – to act upon that mandate,” Fortuño concluded.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.- Twelve professors from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico today participated in the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration’s (PRFAA) first web-based federal grant writing workshop for the Island, announced PRFAA Executive Director Nicole Guillemard.

The webinar workshop offered by PRFAA’s Federal Proposals division was held Friday morning, and linked PRFAA’s federal grant experts in D.C. with professors at the Interamerican University.

“PRFAA’s first web-based federal grant writing workshop for the Island will give professors the necessary tools to apply for and secure federal funds for important education programs,” Guillemard said. “Our goal with the webinar is to reach organizations that might not otherwise have access to training to share expertise and practical know-how on how to write competitive federal grant applications.”

The webinar curriculum focused on the basic skills for writing a federal grant proposal, followed by a hands-on component to practice the skills taught. As part of the workshop, the participants had the opportunity to work on actual grant writing proposals and judge which were the most competitive based on the federal program’s criteria.

PRFAA’s Federal Proposals division provides intensive, hands-on training on the federal grant writing process for government agency, municipal, non-profit organization, and faith-based organization representatives responsible for preparing competitive federal grant proposals.

From March 2009 to date, PRFAA has offered 155 workshops to almost 7,000 participants. By the end of Dec. 2011, PRFAA will have provided 64 municipalities with the opportunity to host PRFAA workshops to benefit the agencies, municipalities and nonprofit organizations seeking federal funding and learning how to apply for competitive federal funds.

For more information on PRFAA’s Federal Proposals grant writing training, visit www.prfaa.pr.gov to read PRFAA’s Fall 2011 Newsletter.

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By Jim Barnett, CNN

December 15, 2011 — Updated 2325 GMT (0725 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Projects range from roadways to light rail systems to bike-share programs
• Applications came from all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
• A total of 848 applications sought $14.3 billion
• The $511 million available will go for 46 projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON (CNN) — All 50 states plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., submitted applications to the Department of Transportation for grants to fund DOT projects, but — in a sign of tough economic times coupled with a shortage of federal dollars — not everyone is finding presents under the federal Christmas tree this year.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Thursday that 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive $511 million in the latest round of Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants.

See the list of projects (PDF)

The Transportation Department had received a total of 848 applications requesting $14.3 billion, exceeding the $511 million available under the TIGER program.

The grants will fund a range of transportation work in urban and rural areas from light rail systems and ports to bridges, roadways, runways, pipelines, streetcars and bike-share projects.

Among the biggest grants: $20 million for Chicago to complete 3.6 miles of track on the city’s transit authority’s Blue Line, serving millions of passengers, as well as expanding a bike-share program. The Missouri Department of Transportation also received $20 million for roadway improvements along the I-270 corridor in St. Louis.

Three grants were directed to tribal governments to create jobs and provide transportation needs. A grant of $3.7 million was given to the Seminole Tribe of Florida to improve several miles of road on the Big Cypress Reservation. The existing road has two 10-foot lanes with worn, unpaved shoulders and substandard sidewalks, according to DOT. Officials say the improvements will enhance emergency hurricane evacuation routes and enhance access to commercial and tourist destinations.

The smallest grant went to the Native Village of St. Michael, Alaska, which received a $1 million grant to resurface and re-contour roads to provide better access to schools and improve drainage issues that arise from seasonal flooding.

Obama orders contracts be awarded by year’s end 

LaHood, who was in Cincinnati, Ohio, Thursday to highlight a streetcar project, told reporters the allocation of funds is coming months ahead of schedule to allow communities to move forward with critical, job-creating infrastructure projects. “Our economic challenges have been decades in the making and won’t be solved overnight,” said LaHood. 

The city of Cincinnati was awarded a nearly $11 million grant to design and construct the Streetcar Riverfront Loop that the transportation department says “has the potential to revitalize” the city’s urban core by providing a public transit alternative.

Work has already begun on 33 planning projects while 58 capital projects are under way from the previous two rounds of grants. LaHood said an additional 13 projects are expected to break ground within the next six months.

Of the $511 million in available funds, more than $150 million will go to projects in rural areas. Almost half of the funding will go to road and bridge projects.

An additional $16 million will be used to pay for administrative costs to make sure the program is properly administered “by the book,” said LaHood.

DOT says grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. the department gives priority to work expected to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

The Municipality of Guaynabo’s win of $10 million through a nationwide competition is a first for Puerto Rico, Gov. Luis Fortuño said today, underscoring that over 828 applications from the 50 states, U.S. territories and D.C. were submitted but only 46 awarded in the fiercely-competitive third round of the federal transportation grant competition – known as TIGER III.

This is Puerto Rico’s first award through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program announced Thursday. TIGER III provided $511 million nationwide to invest, on a competitive basis, in job-creating transportations projects with a significant national or regional impact. The Governor and Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration staff met and worked with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other senior Department officials to make the case for Puerto Rico’s projects leading up to application submissions in October.

“With this vital project, tens of thousands of daily commutes will be improved, lives will be saved through safety upgrades, businesses will be able to operate more efficiently and goods will flow more swiftly from ports to store shelves,” Gov. Fortuño said. “This critical investment and improvement to Puerto Rico’s transportation network is central to our efforts to transform and grow our economy, attract new business and investment, and improve the quality of life for all our citizens.”

To win the federal funds, the Municipality of Guaynabo, the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), and private sector entities partnered to improve the vital Caparra Interchange System. Located at the juncture of PR-2, PR-165, PR-23 and San Patricio Avenue in Guaynabo, the intersection is one of the busiest on the Island serving an estimated 81,000 vehicles and 1.7 million commuters per day. The proposed improvements will benefit residents of Guaynabo and neighboring Fort Buchanan as well as commuters from the surrounding municipalities of Cataño, San Juan and Bayamón.

As outlined in today’s DOT announcement, the project will rehabilitate the Caparra Interchange System by making significant improvements, including re-assigning traffic flows, adding ramps, creating a roundabout, and making improvements to pedestrian facilities. Specifically, the project will increase the average speed of the interchange system at peak hours from 14 mph to 25 mph to alleviate bottlenecks; enable better connectivity on the west side of the island by adding one lane on the highway in each direction, building six additional ramps, and converting an existing intersection to a roundabout; improve pedestrian facilities and allow for increased bicycle usage; and improve travel times for commuters and freight traveling from the Port of San Juan.

The competitive grant program was open to state and local governments, including U.S. territories, tribal governments, transit agencies, port authorities and others. Eligible projects included highway or bridge projects; public transportation projects; passenger and freight rail projects; and port infrastructure investments.

According to U.S. DOT, selection criteria included contributing to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improving energy efficiency, improving safety and improving the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Puerto Rico’s proposed Via Verde natural gas pipeline, determining in its year-long, intensive review that the project will not have a significant impact on the environment and will be constructed in full compliance with all federal and state safety requirements.

“The U.S. Army Corps has taken the time necessary to independently evaluate and confirm that the Via Verde project will not have a significant impact on the environment,” said Puerto Rico Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock. “We will continue to work collaboratively with the Corps toward final approval of the project which will allow Puerto Rico to convert its oil burning plants to natural gas – reducing emissions by as much as 79 percent and substantially lowering electricity rates for consumers.”

The Corps’ EA also determined that the environmental mitigation measures proposed by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) will minimize or eliminate environmental and other impacts to protected species, cultural resources, and wetlands; no feasible alternatives to the project would have less impact on the environment; the proposed route for the project appropriately lessens any risk to public safety; the beneficial effects of the project outweigh any detrimental impacts; and operation of Via Verde will result in economic and environmental benefits. 

The Corps evaluated the Via Verde project for over a year before it issued the EA, during which time the agency received and evaluated over 6,000 public comments.

Prior to issuing the EA, the Corps consulted extensively with numerous federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, and the Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office, to ensure the project meets all applicable federal environmental and safety criteria. 

The Corps conclusions regarding the safety of the project are consistent with the determination made for other natural gas pipeline projects in the United States, Sec. McClintock said. PREPA has and will continue to work cooperatively with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration to ensure the project incorporates state-of-the-art technology that exceeds the strictest safety standards in the country.

A 30-day public comment period on the project begins today, augmenting the extensive and ongoing effort to gather and address comments from the public on the project. Specifically, three full-day hearings by the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board and three full day hearings by the Puerto Rico Planning Board were held and an additional public comment period was provided to foster the participation of all interested groups.

Puerto Rico faces some of the highest energy costs in the country, with electricity costs more than double the rest of the nation, largely due to the Island’s 68 percent dependence on oil for power generation vs. one percent in the states.  As a result, Puerto Rico has launched a comprehensive energy reform that will replace dependence on oil with cleaner and safer alternative sources, including natural gas and renewable energy resources. 

The Corps’ public notice and Environmental Assessment can be found at the following link: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Regulatory/publicnotices_Antilles.htm. 

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PRFAA’s Federal Proposals personnel will offer 6 workshops in the Ceiba, Guanica, Isabela, Arroyo, Vega Alta, and Añasco municipalities

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Executive Director Nicole Guillemard today announced the opening of registration for the agency’s next round of federal grant writing workshops that will be offered in early December in six municipalities across the Island.

The workshops, conducted by PRFAA’s Federal Proposals division personnel, will be held on Dec. 6 in Ceiba and Guanica, Dec. 8 in Isabela and Dec. 9 in Arroyo and Vega Alta from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m each day.  In addition, PRFAA will host a summit for non-profit organizations from the western part of the Island on Dec. 7-8 in Añasco, where the workshop will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The workshops are free of charge and registration closes on Dec. 1.

“We have designed our next round of federal grant writing seminars on the Island with special emphasis on providing government, non-profit, and faith-based organization officials working at the local level with information they can use for the improvement of the communities they serve,” Guillemard said.

“To date, we have offered training to more than 6,700 participants throughout the Island by conducting 148 workshops. By the end of December 2011, PRFAA will have offered training in 64 of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities,” she said. 

PRFAA’s Federal Proposals division provides intensive, hands-on training on the federal grant writing process for government agency, municipal, non-profit organization, and faith-based organization representatives responsible for preparing competitive federal grant proposals.

Qualifying participants interested in participating in the workshops should visit:  www.prfaa.pr.gov, or www.prfaa.com/newworkshops/Wkshops.aspx. Registration will close Dec. 1, 2011.

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(WASHINGTON)—Two organizations were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the advancement of Public Private Partnerships (P3s) within the transportation construction industry November 15 at the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) 23^rd Annual P3 Conference in Washington, D.C.

ARTBA’s P3 Awards Program spotlights the important projects and people who bring together private and public resources to help meet the nation’s critical transportation infrastructure needs.  Applicants were judged by members of ARTBA’s P3 Division.

The “P3 Project of the Year Award” recognizes innovative projects that showcase the value of P3-built transportation infrastructure and contribute to the future development of the P3 transportation industry.  This year,  judging resulted in tie vote between two winners: 

• Puerto Rico P3 Authority: The group was recognized for securing the PR-22 and PR-5 toll road deals. They signed a 40-year highway concession with the Autopistas Metroplitanas de Puerto Rico consortium to privately operate and maintain the existing routes.  This is the first concession of its type to be successfully achieved in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico P3 Authority developed a strategy for successfully implementing the P3 model within Puerto Rico and built public support for the projects through a large-scale public relations campaign.

• “ARTBA is pleased to recognize the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority as one of our ‘2011 P3 Projects of the Year,’” said Pete Ruane, president and CEO of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).  “This innovative project is an example of successful cooperation between the public and private sectors. The Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority brought creativity to the financing and delivery of the project, which is one of the key criteria in selecting this year’s winners.”

• Denver Regional Transportation District (Denver RTD) – The Denver RTD is recognized for their role in the $2.1 billion FasTracks Eagle P3 Project, the largest transit project in the nation to utilize a full Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain procurement.  The project consists of three rail corridors and adds 122 miles of rail and bus rapid transit to Denver’s existing system, providing a significant benefit to the community by connecting downtown Denver with Denver International Airport.

            ARTBA’s P3 Conference is the nation’s leading summit on innovative transportation finance, attended by hundreds of industry executives, public officials and investment firm representatives each year.  

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            Established in 1902, ARTBA represents the U.S. transportation design and construction industry in the Nation’s Capital.

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Farms and ranches in Manati, Arecibo, Lares and Utuado will be visited to explore credit and lending opportunities

San Juan, PR- In their continued effort to incentivize agricultural development in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) and Secretary of Agriculture Javier Rivera Aquino are hosting executives from the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, known as Farmer Mac, on a fact-finding tour of Puerto Rico’s agricultural industry this week to explore the expansion of credit and lending to the Island’s farmers and ranchers.

Secretary Aquino and PRFAA staff will lead Farmer Mac Executive Vice-President and COO Tom Stenson and Director of Business Development Patrick Kerrigan on a tour of farms and ranches in Manati, Arecibo, Lares and Utuado to assess the potential of buying loans from local institutions, thus freeing much-needed investment capital. Farmer Mac is a public corporation created by Congress to increase the availability of long-term credit for America’s agriculture industry.

“Our goal in bringing national farm credit finance executives to Puerto Rico is to bolster the Fortuño Administration’s effort to expand development opportunities for the Island’s agricultural industry.  We want to ensure our farmers and ranchers have the access to credit and lending they need for their businesses to grow and thrive,” said PRFAA Executive Director Nicole Guillemard. 

“The fact that there is a secondary market for farm and ranches mortgages is a great way to add liquidity to the system and allow new financing for the agriculture sector,” commented Secretary Rivera Aquino. “This has been available in the mainland for more than two decades and is now time for Puerto Rico to learn about their services.”

On Tuesday, the Farmer Mac executives met with Secretary Rivera Aquino for a briefing on agriculture financing and the banking system in Puerto Rico. Wednesday, the group traveled through to the regions visiting fruit plantations, a dairy farm, a coffee plantation and a hydroponics farm.

On Thursday, the group will participate in a morning meet and greet between the Agronomist Association of Puerto Rico and local farmers, followed by a similar event in the afternoon for bankers.      

Farmer Mac, a stockholder-owned, publicly-traded corporation, is an institution of the Farm Credit System with the mission of establishing a secondary market for agricultural mortgage and rural utilities loans to increase the availability of long-term credit at stable interest rates.

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