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MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Jim Steele, District 3 Supervisor
DATE: April 17, 2018
SUBJECT: Approve Letter of Support for AB 2966, an act to amend Section 8686 of the Government Code, allowing the state to cover up to 90% of the costs associated with the removal of dead and dying trees in rural counties experiencing the Governor’s declared tree mortality crisis.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As you may be aware, Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry recently introduced AB 2966 which reduces the matching funds required for California rural counties to access state funds to address tree mortality. This increases the state’s share of cost from 75% to 90% for rural counties.
Under current law the 25% match is beyond the resources of most rural counties that shoulder the burden of the tree mortality crisis. Only one of the ten counties identified as “high priority” tree mortality counties has been able to successfully access the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) funds approved for the removal of dead and dying trees.
I recommend that our Board strongly support AB 2966. Having suffered repeated, devastating losses as a result of wildfires over the last several years, Lake County has a unique understanding of need to mitigate wildfire hazards across California. This legislation will make it more affordable for rural counties to address one of wildfire’s high-risk factors - dead and dying trees.
FISCAL IMPACT: _X_ None __Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
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FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative): None
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable): None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve Letter of Support for AB 2966, an act to amend Section 8686 of the Government Code, allowing the state to cover up to 90% of the costs associated with the removal of dead and dying trees in rural counties experiencing the Governor’s declared tree mortality crisis.