California Governor Schwarzenegger Commits California to Help with Angora Fire Cleanup

07/11/2007 -- The victims of the Angora Fire will receive more assistance in their cleanup and restoration efforts after today’s announcement by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into by the State of California and El Dorado County to help Angora Fire victims with structural debris and ash removal possibly commencing as early as this Friday.

“The victims of this fire have suffered greatly as a result of this disaster,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “We must do everything we can to assist the fire victims in their efforts to rebuild and recover as quickly as possible while taking the necessary steps to protect the treasured Lake Tahoe environment.”

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The MOU is between El Dorado County, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB). The MOU stipulates that the CIWMB, using one of its existing debris removal contractors, will work with the County who will gain permission from private property owners for the removal and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous debris. The contractor will also conduct soil stabilization activities to prevent the ultimate erosion of materials into Lake Tahoe.

Since the containment of the fire, Gov. Schwarzenegger has taken a series of actions to assist the victims in the recovery effort and begin assessment of factors that may have contributed to the fire.

On July 5, 2007, Gov. Schwarzenegger announced the state’s participation in a California-Nevada Joint Blue Ribbon Fire Commission to perform a comprehensive review of land management practices associated with conditions that contributed to the devastating Angora Fire.

On July 4, 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting that El Dorado County be declared a disaster area in order to provide SBA Disaster Loan Program assistance to Angora Fire victims. The request was granted on July 5, 2007, and will qualify victims of the Angora Fire for low income loans of up to $200,000 for homeowners to repair or replace their damaged or destroyed primary residence.

Also, homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses of any size and private non-profit organizations may borrow up to $1.5 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The loans are available for homeowners, renters and business owners whose property was damaged or destroyed in the fire.

As a result of this disaster, El Dorado County proclaimed a local emergency June 24, 2007, and subsequently requested state and federal assistance by a separate proclamation issued June 25, 2007. In response to El Dorado County’s request, a proclamation for a State of Emergency was issued on June 25, 2007. Governor Schwarzenegger also toured the fire zone to see first hand the devastation that was caused. The Governor also announced the establishment of a Local Assistance Center to help provide state and local services to assist victims displaced by the wildfire, suffering property loss and economic and other damages.

Governor Schwarzenegger also issued two executive orders to help victims of the wildfire recover. On June 27, 2007, he issued an executive order to assist individuals that suffered losses by waiving fees for replacing state documents lost in the fire including vehicle registrations, driver’s licenses and birth certificates. He issued another executive order on July 2, 2007, to help victims clean up and rebuild as quickly as possible by streamlining, and in some cases suspending, certain state rules regarding the removal and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous debris as well as dead and dying trees.

Below is the text of the MOU:

Memorandum of Understanding

Between El Dorado County, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and California Integrated Waste Management Board

Concerning Angora Fire Debris Removal and Related Environmental Restoration Activities

WHEREAS, The County of El Dorado proclaimed a local emergency due to the outbreak of the Angora Fire on Sunday, June 23, and the Board of Supervisors ratified said action on Tuesday, June 26; and

WHEREAS, On June 25 the Lieutenant Governor proclaimed a state of emergency under the California Emergency Services Act and invoked the California Disaster Assistance Act to provide assistance to Lake Tahoe area residents.

WHEREAS, As a result of the Angora Fire, 229 residences and 75 commercial structures have been destroyed, and another 14 residences have been damaged; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the Angora Fire, potentially serious health and safety hazards currently exist from fire debris, including unstable chimneys, walls of fire damaged structures, and harmful chemicals that are likely to remain on affected parcels, such hazards requiring immediate attention and constituting a local emergency; and

WHEREAS, The state has an overarching responsibility to ensure that the public safety is restored and actions are expeditiously taken to protect Lake Tahoe which is a unique and significant public resource for the entire state; and

WHEREAS On July 2, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order directing that “the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and all affected State agencies will provide assistance to the County of El Dorado;”

WHEREAS, The Governor’s executive order states that “Support provided by the State for implementation of the California Disaster Assistance Act will include but is not limited to the use of state personnel and state contractors to support recovery operations;”

NOW THEREFORE, the following Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County of El Dorado (COUNTY), the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (GOES) and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) shall govern activities for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal project:

Debris Removal

1. CIWMB will execute the scope of work related to debris removal and related environmental restoration activities, including burned vehicles, structural materials, vegetation, household waste, and trailers, as written in the “Scope of Work and Project Specifications for the Angora Fire Structural Debris Removal,” which is made a part of this MOU as Attachment A. At its sole discretion, CIWMB will determine whether debris removal is within the “Scope of Work and Project Specifications.”

2. COUNTY will secure permission from affected property owners for CIWMB contractors to enter their properties. No work on a parcel will begin unless the property owner signs both the site access and hold harmless documents.

3. COUNTY will collect and transport at no charge to CIWMB or its contractors any household hazardous waste discovered on the affected parcels.

State Funding

4. In order to begin debris removal as expeditiously as possible, CIWMB will utilize funding as available towards the cost of this debris removal program.

5. COUNTY, GOES, and CIWMB agree that any insurance payments made by insurers for debris removal and assigned to the County will be remitted to the CIWMB within 90-days of their receipt by the County.

County Best Efforts

6. COUNTY will inquire as to the status of insurance payments made for debris removal at the time that a property owner applies for a building permit.

7. COUNTY will use its best efforts to encourage insurance companies to participate in the debris removal program.

8. COUNTY will use its best efforts to obtain assignments and/or subrogation of any insurance payments made for debris removal costs from affected homeowners. COUNTY may use a contractor to accomplish this task. Nothing in this paragraph shall require the County to institute litigation against the affected homeowner.

The County of El Dorado Officer or employee with responsibility for administering this Agreement is Gerri Silva, Director of Environmental Management, or successor. The parties to this agreement warrant and represent that the undersigned individuals executing this agreement on their respective behalf are fully authorized to do so by law or other appropriate instrument and to bind upon said parties the obligations set forth herein.

COUNTY OF EL DORADO

Dated: _________________________

Source: California Governor