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Commission presses developers for hydrologic reports and community site visits after Salinas, Guayama presentations
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Summary
Lawmakers focused questions on flood risk, access to hydrologic studies and monitoring. Companies said they provided documentation, invited regulators and residents for site visits, and agreed to file final close‑out studies with the commission.
During the Commission of the South Region hearing, multiple legislators pressed Clean Flexible Energy and Zero One Salinas on whether solar farms and associated works could increase flooding or alter aquifer recharge in nearby low-lying communities.
Representative Nelly Lebron told witnesses she had photographed apparent soil compaction and vegetation removal and asked for plain‑language explanations and documents. “¿Cómo nosotros podemos tener copia de eso si no lo han presentado a la comisión?” she asked, requesting formal submission of mitigation and hydrologic reports to the commission files.
Company witnesses said they had delivered extensive documentation—“más de 1000 hojas de folio”—and that much of the permitting material is public. They described independent hydrologic consultants, an inspection regime and routine agency visits from EPA, the Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales, the Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica and municipal offices to verify compliance.
Developers also described on‑site measures intended to reduce runoff: maintaining original on‑site channels, building detention/slowdown basins, preserving vegetation under panels and installing sediment filters. They said these measures were part of approved permits and that independent inspectors submit monthly reports to regulators.
Lawmakers and developers agreed on immediate next steps: the companies will provide the commission with the cited studies and final close‑out hydrology reports after construction; the commission will organize site visits and a community hearing in Salinas to give residents the opportunity to inspect facilities and record questions or complaints. The hearing record will remain open while the commission reviews submitted documentation.
This follow-up—document submission, independent verification and site visits—will be crucial to resolving outstanding community concerns about flood risk and to assessing whether local residents will benefit from planned resilience measures such as proposed microgrids and community battery access.
