Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Sierra and Yuba counties to support the ongoing response to the recent storms, which have included heavy rainfall and snow.
The proclamation notes that, beginning on or about Dec. 10, 16 and 21, “a series of winter storm systems struck California, bringing substantial precipitation, including record-breaking snowfall, damaging winds, and flooding, and storms continue to impact significant portions of the state.”
Lake County has not been as hard hit as other areas. While some snow has fallen down to the lake level it quickly melted off. Deeper snowfall has taken place at higher elevations, with the mountains ringing Clear Lake capped with snow on Thursday.
In other parts of the state, the situation has been more severe.
This week, Caltrans urged drivers to avoid traveling to the Sierra due to record snowfall.
Caltrans also has closed 45 state highways since Dec. 24 due to record snowfall in the Sierra Nevada. Most of those highways have reopened although there are areas where chain controls and delays continue.
Newsom’s Thursday emergency proclamation supports response and recovery efforts, including expanding access to state resources for counties under the California Disaster Assistance Act to support their recovery and response efforts, directing Caltrans to request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program in order to obtain federal assistance for highway repairs or reconstruction, and easing access to unemployment benefits for those unemployed as a result of the storms.
“This order clears regulatory hurdles and increases the states capacity to rapidly respond to the impact of these storms and will bolster long term recovery,” said Mark Ghilarducci, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES.
Ghilarducci said the governor activated the State Operations Center to monitor storm conditions and coordinate the states response and support requests for assistance from local governments.
“We are also closely coordinating with and supporting the work of state partners like Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, Cal Fire and others to rapidly respond to issues as they arise,” he said.
Caltrans has 1,350 field staff clearing mountain highways, working around the clock in 12-hour shifts and has deployed more than 600 snowplows statewide, Ghilarducci said, while the CHP is monitoring road conditions, responding to calls for assistance and working to keep travelers safe.
The state also is working to ensure supply chain continuity and to make sure utility companies restore power as quickly as possible with support to the most vulnerable in the community , he said.
Other efforts include staging fire and rescue resources near burn scar areas in case of significant new weather events, which Ghilarducci said will allow teams to quickly mobilize in the event of mud flows, avalanches or flash floods.
The full proclamation is below.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS beginning on or about December 10, 2021, December 16, 2021, and December 21, 2021, a series of winter storm systems struck California, bringing substantial precipitation, including record-breaking snowfall, damaging winds, and flooding, and storms continue to impact significant portions of the state; and
WHEREAS these storms affected communications and other critical infrastructure, resulted in power outages to thousands of households and businesses, and caused trees and free limbs to fall, damaging structures and obstructing major highways and local roads; and
WHEREAS these storms damaged and forced the closure of dozens of major highways and local roads, including primary corridors into the Tahoe Basin; and
WHEREAS these storms have resulted in the threat of mud and debris flows, particularly on burn scars from recent wildfires, necessitating the prepositioning of emergency response resources; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to these storms; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by these storms, by reason of their magnitude and combined impact, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8625(c), I find that local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by these storms; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this Proclamation would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of these storms.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625,
HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Sierra, and Yuba counties due to these storms.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan. Also, all residents are to obey the direction of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety
2. The Office of Emergency Services shall provide assistance, if appropriate, under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act, Government Code section 8680 et seq., and California Code of Regulations, Title 19, section 2900 et seq.
3. As necessary to assist local governments and for the protection of public health and the environment, state agencies shall enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of these storms. Applicable provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code, including but not limited to travel, advertising, and competitive bidding requirements, are suspended to the extent necessary to address the effects of these storms.
4. The provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code section 1253 imposing a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants are suspended as to all applicants who are unemployed as a direct result of these storms and who applied for unemployment insurance benefits during the time period beginning December 10, 2021 and ending on the close of business on June 21, 2022, and who are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
5. The California Department of Transportation shall formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program, United States Code, Title 23, section 125, in order to obtain federal assistance for highway repairs or reconstruction.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 30th day of December 2021.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, PH.D.
Secretary of State
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