President Joe Biden issues emergency declaration for California following storms

President Joe Biden Monday issued an emergency declaration for California to help people and local officials coping with the storms that have battered the state, an action that will speed federal help.

Biden’s declaration means that federal agencies will get involved immediately in helping state and local agencies coordinate and relief efforts. Gov. Gavin Newsom had requested the assistance. In announcing the request on Sunday, Newsom also pledged to set aside $202 million in state funds for flood safety investments in his upcoming budget proposal, which he will release on Tuesday.

Storms have drenched the Sacramento area as well as much of California. Twelve people have died as a result of flooding and other storm-related damage.

The order says its goal is to “save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of El Dorado, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Ventura.”

What California counties were left out?

Not on the list, though, was San Joaquin County.

The list of counties submitted to the federal government by the state was based on predictions of where the worst damage of this week’s storms would take place, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesperson for the California Office of Emergency Services.

Typically, California submits requests for federal emergency declarations after a major wildfire or other environmental catastrophes.

Because of the unique proactive nature of this request, Ferguson said the state already expects to add more counties to the list.

“As additional counties see impacts, they can be added to the emergency declaration,” Ferguson said. “Getting the declaration early benefits every county, whether or not they were on the original list.”

Rep. Josh Harder, D-Stockton, was not pleased. “This happens over and over and I’m tired of it. Our streets are flooded, our schools are closed, and still we’re ignored. San Joaquin County deserves just as much federal help as Los Angeles and Sacramento get,” he said.

What does the emergency declaration mean?

In the counties that qualified for help, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal department that specializes in disaster relief, will now “ identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”

That could mean up to $5 million in emergency aid, and more if authorized by Congress.

Generally, FEMA has three types of aid programs: assistance to individuals and households, assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster damaged facilities, which is 75% federally funded, and Hazard Mitigation Assistance.

That involves aid to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for what FEMA calls “actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards.”

This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 10:21 AM.