Humboldt County included in Governor Newsom's emergency proclamation to help communities affected by winter storms

PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS beginning on January 5, 2019, an atmospheric river system swept across California, bringing high winds, substantial precipitation, and flooding, significantly impacting counties throughout the State; and

WHEREAS atmospheric river systems continued to impact California throughout January and into February 2019; and

WHEREAS beginning on February 12, 2019, another significant atmospheric river system swept across California, resulting in additional widespread damage; and

WHEREAS these winter storms caused extensive snowfall, high winds, dangerous flash flooding, erosion, widespread power outages, and mud and debris flows; and

WHEREAS these winter storms caused damage to critical infrastructure and to roads and highways throughout the State; 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 the winter storms in Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Shasta, Tehama, Trinity, Ventura, and Yolo counties;

WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by the winter 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;

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 the winter 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 Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Shasta, Tehama, Trinity, Ventura, and Yolo counties.

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 related to this state of emergency consistent with the direction of my Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.
2. 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.
3. The Office of Emergency Services shall provide assistance, as appropriate, 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.

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 21st day of February 2019.