The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a new drought disaster declaration for Puerto Rico that incorporates three municipalities as primary areas and 16 as contiguous zones ^[1]. The three municipalities included as primary areas in this declaration are Barranquitas, Caguas, and Guayama ^[2]. The 16 contiguous areas designated are Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Arroyo, Cayey, Cidra, Coamo, Comerío, Corozal, Gurabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Salinas, San Juan, San Lorenzo, and Trujillo Alto ^[3]. The read here is that this move extends federal support to a broader swath of the island than previous aid packages, directly addressing the needs of residents in San Juan and other central regions that were not covered in the earlier declaration ^[1].