Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Puerto Rico: No Action Assurance (NNA) issued on all Mobile Generator units

There is no question that this is by far one of the most devastating hurricane seasons the U.S and the Caribbean have endured in the past decade, with at least ten named hurricanes and fifteen tropical storms in total. Places like the Island of Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands experienced disastrous results to their power grid and its infrastructure, leaving millions without power and electricity for the months to come.

As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to issue a No Action Assurance (NAA) for mobile diesel generator units imported to Puerto Rico. EPA’s official website recently released an official statement by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance stating:

“The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will exercise its discretion not to pursue enforcement for…violations of the Clean Air Act concerning mobile power generators in Puerto Rico”

Meaning that they have decided to condone the sale, distribution, donation or usage of non-EPA-compliant diesel generator units, given that the unit and the recipient fit within the regulations placed by EPA. Nonetheless, it is important for sellers and buyers, equally, to be clear in the conditions imposed by the agency, as non-compliance fines are accrued daily and involve high legal expenses and civil penalties. 

Hurricane Maria Over the Island of Puerto Rico