EPA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – COMMUNITY CHANGE EQUITABLE RESILIENCE (CULEBRA)

Culebra, Puerto Rico:  eDesign Dynamics (EDD) collaborated alongside urban planners and architects to assist in the preparation of the EPA Community Change Grant application for the Mujeres de Islas community group in Culebra, Puerto Rico. The team developed a resilience and environmental justice plan for disaster-prone, disadvantaged communities around Ensenada Honda Bay by addressing climate risks, advancing ecological restoration, and improving neighborhood access to existing natural resources.

The grant proposal identified three focus areas for implementation: a Transportation and Mobility Hub, a revitalized Community Center, and a Natural Resources Center.

EDD provided technical guidance across all three focus areas with respect to watershed hydrology, green infrastructure design, and, where feasible, aquatic and terrestrial ecological restoration. EDD produced detailed ecological and technical reports, conducted overland hydrological and climate risk analyses, and developed design concepts for planning-level design interventions. For the Natural Resources Center, an island named Cayo Pirata, EDD created concept plans for restoring native vegetation, focusing on locally threatened species, mangrove forests, and establishing subtidal coral reefs to improve water quality in the bay.

In collaboration with grassroots organizations, EDD guided community engagement efforts, incorporating stakeholder feedback with technical expertise to develop proposals that balance ecological performance with neighborhood objectives.

EDD was responsible for cost estimation across the proposal and the preparation of major technical reports to support implementation. These contributions establish the basis for long-term climate action planning while advancing a resilient, community-driven waterfront.