DATE: August 9, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer / Emergency Services Director
SUBJECT: Continuation of the 2016 Drought Conditions Local Emergency Status in Fresno County
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
TITLE
Adopt Resolution proclaiming continuation of the local emergency status as a result of the 2016 Drought Conditions.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will ensure the local emergency status remains in effect and permit the potential recovery of eligible costs.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
No viable options are available.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The recommended action is necessary to ensure specific liability protection, emergency powers of the Emergency Services Director, and potential recovery of eligible costs, if any, from State and Federal emergency funds.
DISCUSSION:
On September 19, 2014, the Governor issued Executive Order B-26-14 authorizing the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to provide California Disaster Assistance Act funding for local government assistance to provide emergency water supplies to households without water for drinking and sanitation purposes.
As authorized by California Government Code Section 8630(c) and Fresno County Ordinance Code Chapter 2.44.060, on March 24, 2015, your Board proclaimed the existence of a local emergency and continued support of the Governor’s Proclamation in 2014 declaring a state of emergency in the State of California due to historically unprecedented drought conditions. Your Board requested the Governor make available any and all State assistance programs and seek additional Federal assistance programs to provide relief to the individuals, growers, businesses, public agencies and private agencies that were harmed by the drought.
On April 7, 2015, your Board passed a proclamation that was later amended on May 5, 2015. Since May 5, 2015, your Board has continued to pass a resolution of continuation of a local emergency in the County and made a request for the Governor to take even more stringent actions to be directed at reducing the state’s water consumption by imposing curtailments on water supplies currently dedicated to the environment and fishery habitat that are comparable to those now being mandated and burdening urban and agricultural contractors and users.
Severe drought conditions including reduced availability of municipal, agricultural, and industrial water supplies, extreme fire conditions, loss of jobs, and reduced agricultural production continue to impact Fresno County. Approval of the recommended action will ensure that the local emergency status remains in effect and permit the potential recovery of eligible costs.
Of California’s total developed water supply of 82.5 million acre-feet, 47.8% is being made available to environmental purposes, 41.5% is designated for agricultural uses and 10.8% is allocated to urban uses.
Fresno County Ordinance Code Chapter 2.44.060, amended on May 19, 2015, requires your Board to review the need to continue the local emergency at least once every 30 days until terminated; state law requires the same. The local emergency must be terminated at the earliest possible date when conditions warranting proclamation have ended. As additional information becomes available staff will provide further recommendation for your Board’s action.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Proclamation of Continuation of Local Emergency:
BAI #33, July 12, 2016
BAI #26, June 21, 2016
BAI #28, June 7, 2016
BAI #43, May 10, 2016
BAI #24, April 12, 2016
BAI #33, March 15, 2016
BAI # 32, March 1, 2016
BAI # 26, February 9, 2016
BAI # 18, January 12, 2016
BAI # 22, December 15, 2015
BAI # 30, November 17, 2015
BAI # 13, November 3, 2015
BAI # 21, October 13, 2015
BAI # 27, September 22, 2015
BAI # 17, September 1, 2015
BAI # 26, August 11, 2015
BAI # 31, July 14, 2015
BAI #29, April 7, 2015
BAI #4, March 24, 2015
BAI # 9, May 19, 2015 - Amendment to Fresno County Ordinance Code Chapter 2.44.060
BAI #35, May 5, 2015 - Amended Proclamation of Continuation of a Local Emergency, 15-095
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia De La Rosa