California Governor Adds Four More Counties To Emergency Declaration

By Tom Joyce | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square California

April 21, 2023

(The Center Square) - California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for four more counties Thursday.

Newsome added Contra Costa, Riverside, San Diego, and Yolo Counties to the list, joining 47 counties where Newsom had declared a state of emergency in response to severe winter storms the state has endured.

President Joe Biden has issued a Presidential Emergency Declaration and a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration, per Governor Newsom's request. It has since been expanded to include additional counties, in hopes of enhancing state and local storm response efforts.

Previously, Newsom signed an executive order to, "expedite levee repairs, floodwater diversion, and other emergency response activities in the Tulare Lake Basin," according to the release from his office.

State agencies and departments are taking action on the ground to support those impacted by the weather, to help local agencies manage their flood responses, and to provide runoff modeling and forecasts to help flood planning efforts.

California is mobilizing personnel and resources to assist storm and flood-impacted communities across California.

Some of those actions, according to Newsom's office, include the "opening of multiple Disaster Recovery Centers; the deployment of state personnel to perform lifesaving rescue missions; the mobilization of food, water, sandbags, cots, and other commodities to areas in need; and providing equipment and personnel to assist in the fortification of levees and clearing of debris and snow from roadways."

The full text of Thursday's emergency proclamation is available here.

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