California Governor Schwarzenegger Enhances Local Efforts to Fight West Nile Virus

08/13/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed an executive order providing up to $10 million in additional emergency relief for local mosquito control agencies. The executive order supplements the emergency proclamation Governor Schwarzenegger signed on August 2 and the more than $1 million in emergency funding awarded last week.

“Protecting public safety is government’s top job – that’s why I’m committed to ensuring our local agencies have all the tools they need to fight this deadly mosquito-borne disease. Today’s action also gives priority relief to local areas with the highest risk of West Nile Virus,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger.

Emergency funding has been awarded to the following agencies:

* Amador County Agriculture Department - $26,376 for mosquito control and $3,500 for surveillance (in addition to the $5,000 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Butte County Mosquito Vector Control District - $19,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $50,000 for mosquito control and $8,000 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Durham Mosquito District (Butte County) - $10,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $10,000 for mosquito control awarded last week).

* Calaveras County Environmental Health Department - $11,964 for mosquito control and $23,375 for surveillance (in addition to the $10,000 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Colusa Mosquito Abatement District - $30,830 for mosquito control (in addition to the $150,000 for mosquito control and $38,904 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Glenn County Health Services Agency - $45,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $35,184 for mosquito control and $22,342 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Imperial County Vector Control - $6,610 for mosquito control (in addition to the $3,030 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Owens Valley Mosquito Abatement Program (Inyo County) - $15,041 for mosquito control (in addition to the $5,000 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District - $50,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $18,210 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Merced County Mosquito Abatement District - $76,951 for mosquito control (in addition to the $50,000 for mosquito control and $8,462 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Placer Mosquito Abatement District - $81,990 for mosquito control (in addition to the $10,000 for mosquito control and $17,469 for surveillance awarded last week).

* San Bernardino County - $20,590 for mosquito control (in addition to the $20,130 for surveillance awarded last week).

* San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $35,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $200,000 for mosquito control and $8,923 for surveillance awarded last week).

* San Luis Obispo Mosquito Abatement Program - $35,800 for mosquito control and $8,795 for surveillance (in addition to the $7,203 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Santa Clara County Vector Control District - $10,000 for mosquito control and $4,983 for surveillance (in addition to the $37,460 for mosquito control and $15,000 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Burney Basin Mosquito Abatement District (Shasta County) -$15,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $5,000 for mosquito control and $1,499 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District - $5,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $45,000 for mosquito control and $15,151 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Pine Grove Mosquito Abatement District (Shasta County) - $10,000 for mosquito control (in addition to the $5,000 for mosquito control and $2,970 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Tehama County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $27,010 for mosquito control (in addition to the $25,000 for mosquito control and 17,463 for surveillance awarded last week).

* Tulare County Mosquito Abatement District -$10,259 for mosquito control (in addition to the $10,000 for mosquito control and $850 for surveillance awarded last week).

The number of people infected this year with West Nile Virus is three times higher than the same time last year. There have been 5 deaths in California due to West Nile Virus (2 in Kern County, 1 in Kings County, 1 in San Joaquin County and 1 in Colusa County).

Since taking office and before declaring a state of emergency, Governor Schwarzenegger has invested more than $15 million to fight the West Nile Virus. The state deploys surveillance and detection technology to track specific areas of West Nile Virus activity and alert local agencies so they can target their mosquito control activities.

Text of the Governor’s Executive Order:

EXECUTIVE ORDER S-10-07

WHEREAS on August 2, 2007, I issued a Proclamation of Emergency regarding the imminent threat to persons and property caused by West Nile Virus; and

WHEREAS the State of California, along with local governments, have made sustained efforts to minimize the spread of the virus, and the state has dedicated more than $15 million over the last three years to mitigate the virus’s effects; and

WHEREAS the August 2, 2007 Emergency Proclamation ordered the Department of Public Health to do the following: (1) allocate up to $1 million, as needed, to local vector control agencies to identify potential mosquito habitat and to treat those areas to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus; (2) allocate up to $350,000 to local vector control agencies for surveillance purposes to provide an early warning of the incidence of West Nile Virus so that proper control measures can be taken by the local vector control agencies to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus; and (3) coordinate with the State and Consumer Services Agency, the Resources Agency and the Department of Food and Agriculture to develop a plan using best management practices for implementation by the appropriate state agencies for the early detection of West Nile Virus on state-owned properties and appropriate mitigation and abatement measures, allocating funds up to $150,000 to develop the plan; and

WHEREAS despite the foregoing efforts, the virus remains a threat, and further efforts to control the spread of the virus and to reduce and minimize the risk of infection are needed, including allocation of additional funds to combat this imminent threat.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, and in particular, sections 8567, 8571 and 8690.6 of the California Government Code, do hereby issue the following orders to become effective immediately:

IT IS ORDERED that the Department of Public Health shall allocate up to an additional $10 million, as needed, to local vector control agencies to identify potential mosquito habitat and to treat those areas to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus and/or for surveillance purposes to provide an early warning of the incidence of West Nile Virus so that proper control measures can be taken by the local vector control agencies to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus in counties identified by the Department of Public Health.

This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given to this Order.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 13th Day of August 2007.

______________________________

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California

ATTEST:

______________________________

DEBRA BOWEN

Secretary of State

Source: California Governor

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