US to pick up 90 percent of Puerto Rico rebuilding costs

President Donald Trump on Thursday agreed to expand the use of disaster aid to rebuild Puerto Rico’s power grid and other infrastructure wrecked by Hurricane Maria, and said the federal government would pick up 90 percent of the costs, a senior White House official told Reuters.

Typically, the federal government pays 75 percent of the costs of rebuilding after disasters.

But the plan, agreed with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello, takes into account the massive devastation on the island and its dire financial problems, the official said in an interview.

The plan provides flexibility in how the funding is allocated, but also provides for third-party advisers for estimating how much money is required and how it is spent.

US to pick up 90 percent of Puerto Rico rebuilding costs