Four months after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on the island of Puerto Rico, recovery is still a matter of urgent concern.

The effort hit a legal snag recently when the island's utility came under intense scrutiny for apparently sitting on essential equipment that could have aided the work.

On Jan. 11, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the island's power provider. Two days later, armed federal agents raided a warehouse controlled by the utility.

The events were triggered by the discovery in the utility's warehouse of power equipment that could be used to restore electricity. Included in the nearly 3,000 pieces of "critical material to contractors" were transformers and steel sleeves of full tension steel.

The investigative personnel included agents from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and a security detail. According to the USACE, after inventorying the items, federal officials immediately began distributing the supplies to contractors.

FEMA and the USACE are leading the federal recovery effort on the island. PREPA is the sole provider of electricity for approximately 1.5 million occupants on the island. In a statement to the AP, it has rejected the allegation that it failed to distribute the equipment.

Maria was a Category 4 hurricane that hit Puerto Rico in September 2017. It is now considered the worst natural disaster to affect the island in history. Nearly four months after the storm, many of the island's residents still do not have power. Full restoration is not expected until February.