PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS beginning on November 30, 2014, a series of rainstorms of increasing severity swept across California, bringing high winds, substantial precipitation, and flooding; and
WHEREAS these severe storms caused harm to people and property by damaging public and private facilities, forcing the evacuation of residents, and requiring the opening of emergency shelters; and
WHEREAS these storms caused damage to roads and highways throughout the state as a result of mudflows, debris, floods, and erosion; and
WHEREAS, on December 22, 2014, I declared a State of Emergency to exist in the counties of Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, and Ventura as a result of the damage caused to the highways as a result of this series of storms; and
WHEREAS the damage caused by this series of storms has also caused significant damage to the highways in additional counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama, and Yolo; and
WHEREAS this series of storms has caused damage to the counties of Lake and Tehama that is beyond their financial capabilities to repair and restore including damages to critical infrastructure and the accumulation of large amounts of debris that must be removed; and
WHEREAS the circumstances of these storms, by reason of their magnitude, 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 combat; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the storm damage in the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama, and Yolo.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., 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, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist within the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama, and Yolo.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. Caltrans shall formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program, Title 23, United States Code section 125, in order to obtain federal assistance for highway repairs or reconstruction in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama, and Yolo.
2. The Office of Emergency Services provide local government assistance to the counties of Lake and Tehama under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act, California Government Code section 8680 et seq. and California Code of Regulations, Title 19, section 2900 et seq. for damages incurred due to these series of storms that are beyond their financial capabilities.
3. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities related to this state of emergency consistent with the direction of my Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.
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 2nd day of March 2015.
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EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Governor of California
ATTEST:
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ALEX PADILLA
Secretary of State