On December 4, 2019, I presented the following recommendation to the Board of Supervisors as essential components of the 2019 Legislative Platform.

The recommendation to prioritize Firesafe Communities and Emergency Planning as the number one State and Federal issue was approved by the board.

The recommendation to add Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act or the B-CROP Act was approved by the board.

Anaiah Kirk – Requested additions to item 11. 2019 Legislative Platform

It is recommended to prioritize Firesafe Communities and Emergency Planning as our number one State and Federal issue.

State Issue

1. Firesafe Communities and Emergency Planning
   1. Emergency Evacuation.
      • Community Notification Systems. Everbridge coverage, accuracy, reliability.  Address poor cell phone coverage with more towers and audible evacuation sirens.
      • Egress Routes.  Insure every community has at least an unencumbered (no gates, locks) primary and secondary evacuation routes.  Insure all fire egress roads (federal, state, county and private) are up to fire code and passable by street vehicles.
   2. Fire Prevention
      • Public Utility Oversight. Mitigate known risks associated with vegetation management and equipment overload and failures.
      • Roadside Vegetation Management.  Spray program in fire-prone areas to prevent vehicle caused fires.
      • Healthy Forest Practices. 
      • Remove California Air Resources Board (CARB) restrictions on controlled burns.
      • Mandatory Defensible space clearing.
      • Ability to Identify “high risk” fire comminutes and seek exemptions or streamline process from SEQA/NEPA for fire safe communities; eliminate NEPA and just CEQA (Solano County example).
   3. Wildfire Response
      • Mandate Fire Attack Aircraft response time for immediate fire suppression on all fires.  Necessary and sufficient quantity of equipment, staffing and material.
      • Expanded federal, state and local firefighting capability, equipment and staffing.
      • Evacuation center capability and capacity for people and animals.  Community Resiliency Centers alignment.
   4. Post Fire Recovery
      • Displaced persons plan.
      • Streamlined rebuilding processes (process in place prior to event).
2. Roads: Go after PILT, SRS, Grants, re-evaluated car registration formula for rural counties.
3. Broadband; part of emergency notification for rural counties.

Federal Issue

1. Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act or the B-CROP Act