On the final day of approvals for the Fourth Regular Session, Puerto Rico’s Senate endorsed with amendments including nuclear energy as a clean power source for the island. House Bill 1092 amends public policy to require that by 2050 all of Puerto Rico’s electricity come from renewable or clean sources, and repeals provisions that prohibit generating power with nuclear reactors.
It redefines "clean energy" as electricity generated by a process that produces no direct greenhouse gas emissions during generation, and covers nuclear-origin electricity that meets that criterion. The Senate also approved House Concurrent Resolution 423, which transfers ownership of the Río Camuy Caves National Park, including its land, buildings, facilities and improvements, to the Department of Economic Development and Commerce without removing its national park designation or public use.
The House of Representatives approved with amendments the substitute to Senate bills 1173 and 1183, which proposes a new Planning and Permits Code for Puerto Rico, by 28 votes in favor and 24 against, with changes to the maritime-terrestrial zone definition and protected land classifications. That measure goes to a conference committee, as does the permits reform bill.
The House also approved delaying the single-use plastics ban until December 31, 2031, with penalties starting in 2032, through Senate Bill 1551, plus measures on pay equity, sick leave for family care, vaccines in authorized clinical laboratories, summary expropriation, travel agencies and firearms offenses. Several amended measures still require further legislative steps before becoming law.