The agency cited the restoration of the commercial food and water supply chain and the availability of private suppliers.
Hector Pesquera, Puerto Rico’s state coordinating officer, said in a statement: "The government of Puerto Rico is waiting for critical data provided by FEMA in order to determine when the responsibilities should be transferred from FEMA to the government of Puerto Rico, as part of the transition from the response phase to the recovery phase.
Alejandro De La Campa, FEMA’s director in Puerto Rico, told NPR that helping to jumpstart the island’s economy is a part of the long-term recovery efforts.
"It is affecting the economy of Puerto Rico.
So we need to create a balance.
Ninety-six percent of the island has access to drinking water, according to the government of Puerto Rico, though a boil water advisory remains in effect.
"Interesting FEMA says the PR Gov has a $1.2 million reimbursement for San Juan and PR’s OMB says hey have nothing.
‘Mission accomplished’?"
FEMA has distributed more than 65 million liters of bottled water and more than 58 million meals to regional staging areas for distribution to local communities since Hurricane Maria’s landfall.
Despite the shift from emergency operations, aid remains in Puerto Rico.