DATE: February 25, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Jean M. Rousseau, County Administrative Officer/Emergency Services Director
David Pomaville, Department of Public Health Director
SUBJECT: Fiscal Year 2019 Public Safety Power Shutoff Resiliency Allocation
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1) Approve and retroactively authorize the Department of Public Health Director to execute the Notification of Subrecipient Allocation Agreement with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for Public Safety Power Shutoff program, with a period of performance of July 1, 2019 to October 31, 2022 ($412,675).
2) Authorize the Department of Public Health Director to sign all corresponding reports, claims and necessary documents as required by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
REPORT
Approval of the first recommended action will authorize the Department of Public Health Director’s retroactive execution of the Notification of Subrecipient Allocation Agreement with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) for the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Resiliency Program funds ($412,675). The second recommended action will authorize the Department of Public Health Director to sign all corresponding reports, claims and any other necessary documents, as required by CalOES, to administer the grant. Funds can be expended on eligible activities that support critical infrastructure and resiliency countywide with a particular focus on public safety, vulnerable communities and individuals with access and functional needs.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Return the funds and seek other alternatives to mitigate PSPS actions.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The Notification of Sub recipient Allocation was received October 25, 2019 and required dated signature within 20 calendar days upon receipt.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Financial assistance provided through CalOES will provide the County with ($412,675) of grant funding to secure critical equipment, fuel storage or essential facility during a PSPS event. No matching funds are required. At this time, no federal financial assistance has been made available. Funding is expected to be used in FY 2020-21 once a plan is developed with key stakeholders.
DISCUSSION:
On October 25, 2019, as utility-initiated PSPS continue to impact residents across California, Governor Gavin Newsom launched the Local Government PSPS Resiliency Program to mitigate the impact on Californians by supporting continuity of operations and efforts to protect public health, safety, and commerce in affected communities.
The grant funding can be used to secure equipment, such as generators and/or generator connections, fuel storage or other backup energy sources for essential facilities, such as fire stations, community centers, health facilities and other facilities that are critical to communities’ function during energy interruptions, backup emergency communications equipment, and developing and conducting plans that better prepare communities for PSPS events, including risk assessment for critical infrastructure and equipping resource centers for the public to access. The grants will be administered by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Half of the funds were allocated to local governments -with all 58 counties receiving at least $150,000, additional funding to each county was based on county size and experience with PSPS. The cities of Los Angeles, San Jose, San Diego, and Oakland will receive $500,000 each. A total of $8 million will support competitive grants available to other 3 incorporated cities and $1.5 million will be available in competitive grants for tribal governments. The County of Fresno was awarded $412,675.
Key stakeholders including Cal-Fire, Fresno County Departments of Public Works and Planning and Public Health, and the County Administrative Office convened to evaluate the most efficient use of the monies. Together with the cities within the County, a plan will be developed to submit projects that focus on critical infrastructure and jurisdictions where there is heightened PSPS vulnerability. These funds will help local governments address these events and assist their most vulnerable residents. The Fresno County Office of Emergency Services will administer the grant.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk- Agreement with the California Office of Emergency Services.
CAO ANALYST:
Raul Guerra