GOOD AFTERNOON. EVERYBODY SORRY
FOR THE DELAY IN STARTING THE
HEARING. UM BEFORE WE BEGIN, I
WANT TO ADDRESS SOME LOGISTICAL
ITEMS. ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC
IS CERTAINLY WELCOME TO SUBMIT
WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE EGG. THE
COMMITTEE THROUGH EMAIL AT A G
RI DOT COMMITTEE AT ASSEMBLY.
THAT CA.GOV. UM THE EMAIL
ADDRESS CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR
WEBSITE. UM. IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE THE GOAL OF HEARING
AS MUCH FROM THE PUBLIC THIS
AFTERNOON. WE AH WON'T PERMIT
CONDUCT THAT DISRUPTS DISTURBS
OTHERWISE IMPEDE THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF THIS HEARING, SO
PLEASE BE AWARE OF THAT
VIOLATIONS OF ANY RULES. UM,
MAYBE SUBJECT UH, MAY SUBJECT
YOU TO REMOVAL OR OTHER
ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES BY THE
STATE ASSEMBLY. AND SO WITH THAT
, I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY
HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND I FIRST
WANT TO THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RODRIGUEZ AND HIS STAFF ALONG
WITH THE ASSEMBLY, AGRICULTURE,
OUR COMMITTEE STAFF FOR ALL THE
WORK TO HELP ORGANIZE. UM THIS
HEARING. I LIKE TO THANK MY OUR
ASSEMBLY COLLEAGUES FOR MAKING
THE TIME TO BE HERE THIS
AFTERNOON. AND A BIG THANK YOU
TO OUR PANELISTS WHO HAVE AGREED
TO PARTICIPATE EITHER IN PERSON
HERE TODAY, OR VIRTUALLY AH, AS
WE DID IN NOVEMBER, 2020 WHAT
WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST? UM UH AH
COMMITTEE HEARING AS CHAIR OF
ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AT THAT
TIME, IS WE? WE HELD AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING REGARDING
THE IMPACTS, UM, SUSTAINED BY A
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE DUE TO
UNPRECEDENTED WILDFIRES. THE
PURPOSE FOR A HEARING THIS
AFTERNOON IS TO HAVE A
DISCUSSION. TO LEARN ABOUT THE
IMPACTS ONCE AGAIN SUSTAINED BY
CALIFORNIA CULTURE, ONLY THIS
TIME NOT DUE TO UNPRECEDENTED,
UNPRECEDENTED WILDFIRE, BUT
RATHER UNPRECEDENTED WINTER
STORMS. AS WE KNOW CALIFORNIA'S
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IS MORE THAN
$50 BILLION IN SIZE AND EMPLOYS
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ACROSS OUR
STATE. AS POLICYMAKERS. WE HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY THAT EXTENDS
FAR BEYOND OUR STATE'S BORDERS.
BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD RELY ON CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE FOR THEIR VEGETABLES
, NUTS FOR CITRUSY, LEAFY
GREENS, AND CERTAINLY MUCH MORE.
AND IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE
. IT IS INCUMBENT ON US AS A
STATE LEGISLATORS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA TO KEEP CALIFORNIA A
WORLD LEADER IN AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTION. UNFORTUNATELY WE
KNOW THAT THIS WILL NOT BE THE
LAST ROUND OF NATURAL DISASTERS
TO HIT OUR STATE. I LOOK FORWARD
TO HEARING MORE ABOUT FINDING
NEEDS FOR OUR CRITICAL HUMAN
MADE AND NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
SO THAT IT THAT THAT WE CAN BE
READY TO WITHSTAND THE MORE
INTENSE STORMS OF THE FUTURE.
I'M ALSO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT
WHAT SHORT AND LONG TERM
SOLUTIONS WE MAY BE ABLE TO, UH
, LOOK, UM TOWARDS OR THAT WE
SHOULD CONSIDER FOR FARMERS.
RANCHERS ARE FARM WORKERS AND
CERTAINLY ALL RULE ALL OF THE
RURAL PARTS OF OUR STATE. UM AS
QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, YOU
KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR
PANELISTS, AND WITH THAT I'D
LIKE TO PASS IT TO CHAIR
RODRIGUEZ FOR HIS OPENING
REMARKS. GOOD AFTERNOON, AND
THANK EVERYBODY. I'M
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RODRIGUEZ,
CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. FIRST
LET ME THANK MY DEAR FRIEND AND
COLLEAGUE SPEAKER, DOESN'T HE?
ROBERT RIVAS FOR CONVENING THIS
OVERSIGHT HEARING AND FOR HIS
COMMITMENT EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS IN CALIFORNIA.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE
DISPLACED RESIDENTS FROM THE
PAJARO RIVER VALLEY. IT WAS
CLEAR FROM OUR VISIT THAT FARM
WORKERS WEREN'T RECEIVING
ASSISTANCE THEY NEEDED TO
RECOVER. MR MR REEVES AND I HAVE
SHARED A COMMITMENT TO HELP MEET
THE NEEDS OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL
AND FAMILY THAT LOST THEIR
HOMEWORK OR OTHER NECESSITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE INTRODUCED A B
513, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE
CALIFORNIA INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE
ACT, AND WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON 125
MILLION CONTINGENCY FUND TELL
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
IMPACTED BY THE FLOODING. WE
ALSO HAVE A KEEN INTEREST IN
ENSURING THE OVERALL AGRICULTURE
SECTOR OF OUR ECONOMY HAS
EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO
QUICKLY RECOVER FROM THE
UNPRECEDENTED SERIES OF
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS AND ARE ABLE
TO ADAPT TO EXTREME CHANGES IN
OUR CLIMATE. FOR ALL THESE
REASONS, AND MANY MORE. I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
TODAY'S WITNESSES AND HOW WE CAN
HELP CALIFORNIA QUICKLY RECOVER
. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR
JOINING US HERE TODAY. AND THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. I ALSO LIKE TO
PASS IT ON TO ADVICE CHAIR. UH
MATHIS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME.
I'M SIMILAR DEVON MATHIS FROM
THE SALARY KINGS AND PART OF
FRESNO AREA OF THE SAN JOAQUIN
VALLEY. I'VE BEEN ON THIS
COMMITTEE GAS WHAT? WE 9 10
YEARS NOW. ANYWAY. I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THIS IN HEARING TRULY
. FROM EVERYBODY WITHIN OUR
AGRICULTURE SECTOR ON WHAT IS A
STATE WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WHAT
WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE. AH
ESPECIALLY ON THE RECOVERY
ASPECT. I KNOW FOR MANY OF US
BACK HOME. THE IMPACT OF THESE
STORMS ARE NOT YET OVER. THERE'S
FLOODING THAT IS STILL GOING TO
TAKE PLACE THAT MOVING VERY
SLOWLY. AND IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL.
AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE MAPS
, WE CAN SEE AREAS THAT ARE MAY
SEEM DRY TODAY, BUT IN A MONTH
OR TWO, THEY MIGHT BE COMPLETELY
UNDERWATER. AND IT'S NOT JUST
AREAS ON A MAP, THOUGH. THESE
ARE FAMILY HOMESTEADS. THESE ARE
IMMIGRANT HOUSING AREAS. THESE
ARE FARMS AND RANCHES. SOME THAT
HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 100
YEARS. UH UM. THE IMPACTS. THAT
THESE STORMS HAVE HAD ON OUR
STATE OR DEVASTATING. THE IMPACT
THAT THEY HAVE HAD ON THE
CULTURE. OF THIS STATE. BEING
THE TOP AGRICULTURAL PRODUCING
STATE, NOT JUST IN THE COUNTRY,
BUT IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. THESE
IMPACTS ARE SIGNIFICANT. AS
MENTIONED BY CHAIR REVIS. WE
HAVE 408 COMMODITY CROPS. THAT
WE GROW IN THIS STATE. SOME THAT
YOU CAN'T GROW ANYWHERE ELSE IN
THE WORLD. IT IS IMPERATIVE UPON
US IN THE LEGISLATURE TO GET
THIS FIGURED OUT. TO PRIORITIZE
THE PROPER FUNDING. IN THE
PROPER EXECUTION OF THAT FUNDING
TO ENSURE THAT RECOVERY HAPPENS
IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND THAT WE
ALSO HEAD OFF SOME OF THE
POTENTIAL FLOODING THAT COULD
HAPPEN THIS SUMMER AS WELL. THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THESE
COMMUNITIES WHOLE. AND KEEP
AGRICULTURAL GOING AND GET IT
BACK ON ITS FEET. UM YOU KNOW
TOO OFTEN, IT SAID ONE IN FOUR
JOBS RELATED TO ACT. BUT WHEN
YOU START MULTIPLYING THAT OUT
BETWEEN YOU KNOW THE SPOUSES AND
THE 2.5 KIDS. YOU KNOW, IT
BECOMES IMPACTFUL VERY QUICKLY.
IF YOU LOOK AT JUST SAY TO LARRY
COUNTY, YOU GO FROM 40,000 JOBS
TO MULTIPLY IT OUT. YOU'VE GOT
100 AND 20,000 PEOPLE. THAT'S A
LARGE CITY JUST GONE AND
DEVASTATED. WHAT IS THAT DUE TO
A STATEWIDE SHOW IS THE
PANELISTS COME UP. KEEP IN MIND.
LET US KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO
WHERE WE NEED TO ACT. WE DO HAVE
BUDGET COMMITTEES COMING UP. WE
DO HAVE THE GOVERNORS MAY REVISE
OR SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WERE
SAID UM, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU EXACTLY
WHAT WE NEED TO DO. AND HOW WE
NEED TO DO IT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. VICE CHAIR, MATHESON. SAM
OPENED UP TO OTHER, UM, MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. UH, COMMENTS
AS SOME OF THE WOMEN SORRY.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIVAS AND
CHAIRMAN RODRIGUEZ FOR CONVENING
THIS JOINT HEARING ON WHAT IS A
VERY CRITICAL ISSUE AND AN ISSUE
THAT ALSO IMPACTED MY DISTRICT.
SIGNIFICANTLY UH, WITH YOU KNOW,
WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS THAT
I CAME INTO OFFICE I SAW
ESPECIALLY A SMALL COMMUNITY.
ENNAHDA COMPLETELY EVACUATED AND
IMPACTED. UH THIS IS A BIG
PORTION OF THE WORKFORCE IN
MERCED COUNTY, MANY UNDOCUMENTED
FARM WORKERS, SO I'M EXCITED
TODAY TO HEAR THAT. THAT WOULD
YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
FROM INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY TO
TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES OF ITS
WORKFORCE, BUT THE IMPACT THAT
IT HAS HAD IN THE COMMUNITY I
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ABOUT A MONTH
AND A HALF AGO OR A MONTH AGO TO
DO AN AERIAL TOUR OF MERCED
COUNTY WITH THE SHERIFF THERE,
AND I SAW THE IMPACT TO BEYOND
THE CREEK IN TERMS OF THE
BREACHES THAT HAPPENED IN IN
BEAR CREEK AND THE CREAKS
THROUGHOUT MERCED COUNTY. WHICH
FLOODED A LOT OF THE
AGRICULTURAL FIELDS IN THAT AREA
THAT WERE, UM ESSENTIALLY IN THE
QUEUE TO BE HARVESTED LATER THIS
YEAR, SO THAT MEANS A LOT OF JOB
LOSSES. AND SO I'M EXCITED TO
HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY. WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE
CAN DO IN THE SHORT TERM BUT
ALSO TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND
MITIGATE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE SAW? UM YOU KNOW, IN
THIS WITH THE WINTER STORMS THIS
YEAR AND BE PREPARED ALSO, UM IN
THE SHORT TERM FOR SOME OF THE
SNOWMELT THAT WILL HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON A NUMBER
OF PLACES, ESPECIALLY THE AREA
THAT I REPRESENT, AND I KNOW IN
THE SOUTH VALLEY AS WELL. SO I
WANT TO THANK FOLKS FOR PUTTING
THIS TOGETHER. I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE
PANELIST, UM, BOTH OBVIOUSLY,
THEY ADD, BUT ALSO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
WORKFORCE ALSO HAS BECOME AN
ISSUE AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A
LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE STILL
HURTING. EVEN THOUGH THIS
HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO
IN MY COMMUNITY THAT HAVE LOST
JOBS, AND SO I DO WANT TO THANK,
UM, BOTH CHAIRMAN FOR THE WORK
THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING TO
PROVIDE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S
IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR FOLKS. UM
FOR THOSE THAT LOST JOBS, BUT
ALSO, UM, WANTING TO HEAR WHAT
ELSE WE CAN DO TO PREPARE. THANK
YOU. AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF
PROTOCOL. OKAY WITH THAT WE WILL
JUMP RIGHT INTO PANEL NUMBER
ONE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE A
STATEWIDE OVERVIEW OF THE WINTER
STORM IMPACTS. AND THIS FIRST
PANEL, UM, INCLUDES RYAN. BRUSH
THAT THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
RECOVERY OPERATIONS OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES WHO I BELIEVE
IS HERE IN PERSON. SO IF YOU
GUYS WOULD LIKE TO, UH PLEASE GO
UP TO THE FRONT TABLE. WE ALSO
HAVE UNDERSECRETARY CHRISTINE
BIRDSONG, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. WE HAVE
LARA HOLLANDER, EXECUTIVE
ADVISOR OF THE FLOOD MANAGEMENT
AND DAM SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF
WATER RESOURCES, AND THEN UM, A
DEAR FRIEND AND FORMER COLLEAGUE
, MR JIM HOUSTON, ADMINISTRATOR
OF THE CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU
FEDERATION. THANK YOU ALL FOR
JOINING US. AND UM, MR BRUCE, IF
YOU'D LIKE TO BEGIN, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR
RODRIGUEZ, CHERRY VOUS AND
MEMBERS OF THE. TO TALK ABOUT
THE 2023 WINTER STORMS. MY NAME
IS RYAN BURESS. I'M THE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR. OF RECOVERY OPERATIONS
FOR THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES. OUR MISSION
AFGHAN, WE ASKED TO PROTECT
LIVES AND PROPERTY, BUILD
CAPABILITIES AND SUPPORT OUR
COMMUNITIES TO BE A MORE
RESILIENCE. CALIFORNIA CALORIE
ASKED PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES
, INCLUDING THE COORDINATION OF
THE STATES. DISASTER RESPONSE,
EMERGENCY PLANNING AND
PREPAREDNESS AND DISASTER
RECOVERY. AND MITIGATION AND
HOMELAND SECURITY. ACTIVITIES MY
TESTIMONY TODAY WILL COVER THE
OVERALL IMPACTS OF THE WINTER
STORMS ON OUR STATE AND SPEAKING
TO BOTH COMMITTEES PRIOR TO THIS
HEARING, WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT INTEREST, UH, AND
IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE WORKERS
AND UNDOCUMENTED SURVIVORS AND
VARIOUS STATE PROGRAMS BEING
UNDERTAKEN, UM, DESIGNED TO
SUPPORT THESE SURVIVORS SINCE
COW YES. IS NOT LEADING THESE
EFFORTS. I WANT PEOPLE FINDING
UPDATE ON THOSE PARTICULAR
PROGRAMS, BUT WE WERE HAPPY TO
FACILITATE ADDITIONAL
CONVERSATIONS. WITH THE STATE
ENTITIES WORKING DILIGENTLY TO
PROVIDE IMPACTED SERVICES THAT
THEY REQUIRE. OVER THE LAST SIX
MONTHS. OUR STATE HAS BEEN
THRASHED BY A SERIES OF
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS 31 TO DATE.
THEY TOLD THE 52 COUNTIES HAVE
PROCLAIMED A STATE OF EMERGENCY
OVER THE MONTHS FROM DECEMBER
THROUGH MARCH, AND THE GOVERNOR
NEWSOM HAS RECEIVED FEDERAL
DECLARATION FOR THESE EVENTS
FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN. THE
IMPACTS OF THESE STORMS HAVE
BEEN SIGNIFICANT AT THE HEIGHT.
OF THE INCIDENT THIS PAST
JANUARY. ABOUT 55,056 PEOPLE
WERE UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS. 26
SHELTERS WERE OPENED IN 13
COUNTIES, APPROXIMATELY 531,600
HOUSEHOLDS WERE WITHOUT POWER
STATEWIDE. OVER OUR OUR COUNTY
PARTNERS HAVE REPORTED MORE THAN
2100 HOMES IMPACTED, INCLUDING
131 THAT WERE DESTROYED AS OF
MAY COUNTIES REPORTED MORE THAN
$1.9 BILLION IN DAMAGE TO PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE. KELLY S HAS
WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH STATE
PARTNERS TO SHARE INFORMATION.
AND LEVERAGE RESOURCES TO
EXECUTE AND COORDINATE A
RESPONSE TO THIS LONG RUNNING,
DYNAMIC AND EVOLVING DISASTER.
KALA S FIRE AND RESCUE
PREPOSITION RESOURCES AND AS
MANY AS 26 COUNTIES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE TO ENSURE TIMELY
DEPLOYMENT IF THE NEED AROSE,
202 103 RESCUES WERE ESKY
EXECUTED BY THESE PREPOSITION TO
RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO OUR
PREPOSITION RESOURCES, THE
ADVANCED PLANNING UNIT WITHIN
CALLOWAY ESTIMATED SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT IN OUR PLANNING AND
RESPONSE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE
STORMS AND INTO CURRENT SNOWMELT
TRENDS. MOREOVER BY EMBEDDING
OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES
COORDINATORS AND LOCAL EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTERS, CALAVIUS HAS
THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE REAL TIME
INFORMATION. AND NEEDS, CREATING
A DIRECT LINE OF COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE LOCAL
LEVELS. THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. PROMOTES THE SPREAD
OF THE LATEST SPECIFIC
UNDERSTANDING THROUGH SPRINGS
SNOWMELT MODELING AND RELATED
FLOOD RESPONSE PLANNING TOOLS
CALAVIUS HAS COMMITTED TO
PROTECTING THOSE CALIFORNIANS
WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTION NEEDS,
WHO ARE OFTEN MOST VULNERABLE.
TWO DISASTERS. UNDERSTANDING THE
RISKS TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
. THESE STORMS PRESENTED COW YES
IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED THE
PRIORITY POPULATIONS. TASK
FORCE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK
FORCE WAS TO COORDINATE ALL
STATE RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF
THE MOST VULNERABLE CALIFORNIANS
AND RESPONSE TO THE RECENT
WINTER STORM DISASTER. MEMBERS
OF THIS TASK FORCE EMBEDDED
THEMSELVES WITH OUR LINES OF
EFFORT EFFORT, INCLUDING OTHER
TASK FORCES, WORKING GROUPS AND
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS TO
ENSURE RESOURCES WERE REACHING
THOSE POPULATIONS MOST IN NEED.
UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENCES AND
THOSE WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS
WERE A KEY FOCUS BY THIS TASK
FORCE THERE ON THE RESPONSE
EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY AFTER
SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE STATE,
SUCH AS THE TOWNS OF PLANETA AND
ALSO BIHAR Ó SUFFERED
SIGNIFICANT FLOODING REQUIRED
MASS EVACUATIONS. THE CALLAWAY S
OF PRIVATE SECTOR IN NGO
COORDINATION WORK DILIGENTLY
WITH THE CBOS IN BOTH REGIONS
WHO SUPPORT TARGETED SUPPORT TO
THOSE SURVIVORS. THESE EFFORTS
INCLUDE IN THE TOWN OF PLANETA,
WORKING WITH CBOS TO COORDINATE
DONATION DISTRIBUTION, DEBRIS
CLEANUP SITES AND SUPPORT FOR
THEIR WAS AFFECTED. STUDENTS
BRINGING BRINGING CBOS FROM OUT
OF STATE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO
RESIDENTS AND SUCH AND CLEAN UP
KITS AND INFORMATION ON MODE
REMEDIATION. COORDINATED WITH
CBOS TO GO DOOR TO DOOR, WITH
FEMA AND STATE OFFICIALS HELPING
INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATE THE FEMA
APPLICATION IN THE APPEAL
PROCESS, HARO, OUR OFFICE
PROVIDED SIMILAR SUPPORT AS
PREVIOUSLY LISTED. WE ALSO
WORKED WITH CBOS TO ESTABLISH A
LARGE RESOURCE CENTER OUT OF THE
BIHAR Ó MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE
RESIDENTS COULD RECEIVE
RESOURCES INFORMATION, INCLUDING
LEGAL AND FEEDING SUPPORT. WE
ALSO COORDINATED WITH CBOS TO
ACCOMPANY FEMA AND STATE
OFFICIALS GOING DOOR TO DOOR TO
PROVIDE MULTI LINGUAL AND MULTI
CULTURAL INFORMATION. THE LIST
DOES CALIFORNIA PROGRAM IS ALSO
RUN OUT OF COAL? YES IT WAS A
VERY ACTIVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
THE SURVIVORS IN THESE AREAS
SPECIFICALLY LIST THOSE
CALIFORNIA WERE CLOSELY WITH
CBOS. TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND
SERVICES AND WATSON, VILLE
LINCOLN FAMILIES TO SERVICES,
HANDING OUT FOOD, BLANKETS AND
OTHER ITEMS. PROVIDE TRANSLATION
SERVICES AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IN
SANTA CRUZ PROVIDES SANDBAGS
SERVICES AND BIHAR OH AND
SURROUNDING AREAS AND WORKED
WITH COMMUNITY ACTION BOARD. OF
THE SANTA CRUZ AREA TO PROVIDE A
HOTLINE IN NATIVE LANGUAGES
REGARDING STORM ALERTS. AND
RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS OF THE
FEBRUARY MARCH AND WINTER STORMS
MORE THAN 25.5 MILLION AND
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE HAVE BEEN
APPROVED TO DATE THAT INCLUDES
9.5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO
INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS FOR
TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND
14.5 MILLION IN S B. A LOANS FOR
HOMEOWNERS RENTERS IN
BUSINESSES. AS WE WORK TO
RECOVER FROM THE DEVASTATING
STORMS, KELLY, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO BE AT THE FRONT HELPING US TO
BRING BACK OUR COMMUNITIES, AND
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY NEED US THE
MOST. CALIFORNIA IS NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED MODEL FOR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. NEW CHALLENGES. HAVE
DEFINITELY TAKEN HAVE NOT TAKEN
AWAY OUR RESILIENCY OR THE
STATE'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE AS
AN EXAMPLE FOR THE NATION. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I'M
AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY HAVE IF WE COULD HOLD
QUESTIONS UNTIL, UM. THE
CONCLUSION OF ALL THE SPEAKERS
AND SO NEXT INVITE
UNDERSECRETARY MISS MISS BURNS
HOG. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR RODRIGUEZ RIVAS AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES ON
AGRICULTURE AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR HOLDING THIS VERY TIMELY
HEARING. AS YOU KNOW, AS
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS, WE
ARE JUST COMING OUT OF A PERIOD
OF VERY INTENSE FLOODS. IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA JUST MONTHS
BEFORE THAT, OF COURSE, WE WERE
WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH A VERY
INTENSE DROUGHT IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND WHERE WE SIT
TODAY WE HAVE OUR EYES ON WHAT'S
GOING ON INTO LARRY. THE BIG
MELT IS EVERYBODY'S CALLING IT
AND THEN BECAUSE IT'S CALIFORNIA
, WE ARE ALSO KEEPING THE EYE
OUT FOR WILDFIRES. SO I WANT TO
REALLY EXPRESS OUR DEEP
APPRECIATION FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. TO TALK ABOUT
AGRICULTURE'S CHALLENGES THROUGH
ALL OF THESE MULTIPLE AND VERY
DIFFERENT DISASTERS. I MIGHT
ADD. ALTHOUGH THE ECONOMIC
LOSSES TO AGRICULTURE ARE
ALREADY SIGNIFICANT AND ARE
LIKELY TO GROW, UM WE ARE MORE
SOBERED, OF COURSE, BY THE HUMAN
IMPACTS OF THESE DISASTERS. IT'S
NOT JUST PEOPLE LOSING THEIR
HOMES. IT'S PEOPLE LOSING THEIR
JOBS, AND IT'S THE LOSS OF LIFE.
SO WE ARE AGAIN MOST GRATEFUL TO
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE OUT
THERE TIRED, WORKING TIRELESSLY
TO PROTECT PROPERTY AND OUR
PEOPLE, KEEPING THEM SAFE AND
ENSURING THAT WE ARE KEPT
HEALTHY. WHAT WE DO AT CDF TO IS
NOWHERE NEAR AS HEROIC AS OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS DO, BUT IT'S
VITAL ALL THE SAME. SO I'M GOING
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CDF A DOES
RELEVANT TO EMERGENCY SERVICES
AND THE ACTIONS THAT CDFA HAS
TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO THESE
RECENT FLOOD EVENTS. WE ARE THE
LEAD AGENCY FOR THE MANAGEMENT
AND OVERSIGHT OF CALIFORNIA
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION, 11
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AT THE
STATE LEVEL. THIS FUNCTION
ADDRESSES EMERGENCIES INVOLVING
FOOD CONTAMINATION PLANT AND
ANIMAL AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS
AND LIVESTOCK. THAT'S INCLUDING
HOUSEHOLD PETS WHO ARE IN NEED
DURING NATURAL DISASTERS. PET
AND LIVESTOCK RESOURCE
COORDINATION IS ADDRESSED BY THE
CALIFORNIA ANIMAL EMERGENCY
RESPONSE SYSTEM. WE CALL THAT
CARES WHICH IS IN CD, A PHASE
ANIMAL HEALTH BRANCH. DURING OUR
RECENT FLOOD EVENTS, CDF, A
ACTIVATED THE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONS CENTER AND HAD A
CONTINUOUS PRESENCE AT THE STATE
OPERATIONS CENTER TO HELP WITH
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AROUND
AGRICULTURE. WE MAINTAINED
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS WITH AG,
TRADE AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
AROUND THE CLOCK SO THAT WE HAD
THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION
WHICH WE COULD THEN FEED INTO
THE STATE OPERATIONS CENTER. WE
ALSO SHARED INFORMATION WITH THE
COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES SO
THEY COULD BETTER RESPOND TO THE
NEEDS OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS
WITH BEST PRACTICES INFORMATION
AND TO HELP THEM TAILOR THEIR
RESPONSE TO THE UNIQUE
CHALLENGES FOR AGRICULTURE IN AN
EMERGENCY. FOR EXAMPLE, WE
PROVIDED ADDITIONAL STAFF TO THE
COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
CENTER TO HELP MANAGE AGAIN.
ANIMAL RELATED ISSUES LIKE
MOVING DAIRY CATTLE WITH
CONTINUED FOOD SAFETY OVERSIGHT.
CARES AND FIELD STAFF IDENTIFIED
VOLUNTEER LIVESTOCK HOLLERS,
VOLUNTEER LIVESTOCK HOLLERS TO
MOVE ANIMALS QUICKLY AS THE
FLOODWATERS WERE ADVANCING.
REALLY I WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S
OUR PRODUCER COMMUNITY.
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS WHO
WERE THE HEROES DURING THESE
EMERGENCIES. DR STUART HALL, WHO
IS A DAIRY MANAGER AT COMMITTEE
MADE DAIRY I WAS PERSONALLY
INVOLVED WITH THREE DIFFERENT
DAIRY EVACUATIONS, INCLUDING HIS
OWN ALMOST ALL COW EVACUATIONS
WERE DONE BY PRIVATE HAULERS WHO
RISKED THEIR TRUCKS AND THEIR
TRAILERS, TRAILERS DRIVING
THROUGH FLOODWATERS. THEY WORKED
IMPOSSIBLE HOURS IN DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS TO RESCUE COWS AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE
TALKING MOVING 1000 TO 4000
HEADS OF CATTLE. 15 AT A TIME.
THIS WAS A TRULY HERCULEAN
UNDERTAKING. DAIRY SERVICE
TRUCKS WERE GOING OUT TO EMPTY
DAIRIES ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE
TO FIX MILKING EQUIPMENT AND
PREPARE BARNES FOR CATTLE. AND
OUR LARGE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS
LIKE TOM BARCELLOS, WHO'S A
TIPTON, WHO HAS A TIPTON DAIRY,
WHICH WAS SAFE DURING THE
STORMS. WENT OUT ON HIS OWN. HE
MOBILIZED ALL OF HIS LARGE
EQUIPMENT, EXCAVATORS, BACKHOES
TO PULL DEBRIS FROM THE TOOLEY
RIVER. FIXED LEVIES. KEEP ROUTES
OPEN TO GET CATTLE OUT. HE
DIDN'T HAVE TO HELP. BUT HE WENT
ABOVE AND BEYOND, WITHOUT ANY
EXPECTATION OF COMPENSATION. AS
DID MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE
CENTRAL VALLEY AND THE CENTRAL
COAST. IN ADDITION TO SAVING
ANIMAL LIVES, FOOD SAFETY IS A
TOP PRIORITY IN ANY DISASTER
AFFECTING AGRICULTURE. BUILDING
ON OUR FOUNDATIONAL ROLE AND
EMERGENCY FUNCTION. CDF FACED
FOOD SAFETY TEAMS HAVE BEEN
DILIGENT AND PROACTIVE AND
PROVIDING OUTREACH EDUCATION
AUDITS AND INSPECTIONS IN LIGHT
OF THIS YEAR'S BLOODS. UNDER
NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
INSPECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED ON
FARM ONCE PER GROWING SEASON.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE FLOODS AND
POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION OF FIELDS
AS A RESULT OF SO MUCH WATER ARE
LEAFY GREENS MARKETING AGREEMENT
, STAFF SHIFTED THEIR ATTENTION
AND MONITORING EFFORTS TOWARDS
REGIONS IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS.
TO MAINTAIN FOOD SAFETY. DURING
INSPECTIONS STAFF FOCUSED ON
WHETHER ANY PRODUCE WAS EXPOSED
TO FLOOD WATER. AND HOW IT WAS
HANDLED, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT
INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE INFIELD
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, WELLS AND
IRRIGATION LINES. STAFF ALSO
COLLECTED INFORMATION ABOUT
PLANTING DELAYS, REPLANTING AND
HARVESTING. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THE ONGOING EFFORTS WERE
UNDERTAKING FOR FOOD SAFETY
RESEARCH. THE CENTER FOR PRODUCE
SAFETY REALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF
THE INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE
THAT A DISASTER OF THIS SCALE
CAN PROVIDE. THEY FUNDED A RAPID
RESPONSE PROJECT THIS SPRING,
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT IS
HOPEFULLY A RATHER RARE
OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY FLOODING
AND PATHOGENS. THE FULL REPORT
WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE CPS
SYMPOSIUM LATER NEXT MONTH. IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED TURNING TO OUR
FAIRGROUNDS. I THINK EVERYONE IN
THIS ROOM KNOWS, BUT I'M GONNA
SAY IT ANYWAYS, THAT OUR
FAIRGROUNDS ARE MORE THAN A
PLACE TO ADMIRE AWARD WINNING
LIVESTOCK. OUR FAIRGROUNDS PLAY
A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
STATES DISASTER RESPONSE,
INCLUDING THESE RECENT FLOODS.
CDF A COMMUNICATED WITH OUR
FAIRGROUND MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE
STATE DURING THE FLOOD EVENTS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE READY
AND AVAILABLE AND OPEN FOR
BUSINESS FOR ANY EMERGENCY
NEEDS. WE HAD 12 DIFFERENT
FAIRGROUNDS ACROSS THE STATE
THAT WERE ACTIVATED TO SERVE AS
EVACUEE AND ANIMAL SHELTERS.
ALWAYS YES, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS
AND LOCATIONS FOR FEMA
EVACUATION RESOURCE TRAILERS.
FAIRGROUNDS HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED
AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE STATES
DISASTER EFFORTS, BUT WITH
INCREASING CLIMATE EXTREMES
THEY'RE USED FOR THESE PURPOSES
ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. FOR
LONGER DURATIONS AND SERVING
MORE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. ANOTHER
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT CDVA SERVES
DURING DISASTERS IS OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
BACK IN FEBRUARY. CDF A WESTERN
GROWERS, U. C. DAVIS AND OTHERS
JOINTLY HOSTED IN EDUCATIONAL
WEBINAR FOR INDUSTRY ON BEST
PRACTICES DURING FLOOD OFFENSE
FOR CROP PROTECTION. ALSO IN
FEBRUARY, CDF EIGHT PERSONNEL
SHARED FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION
AT A BOOTH AT OUR WORLD AG EXPO.
AND ALSO DURING HER FOOD FOOD
SAFETY SEMINAR, ALONG WITH USDA
, FDA ARE LEAFY GREEN STAFF AND
WESTERN GROWERS. AS DISASTER
IMPACTS BECOME MORE APPARENT OR
BECAME MORE APPARENT. CDF A AND
USDA JOINTLY HELD A WEBINAR FOR
FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND TRADE
ASSOCIATIONS TO PROVIDE
INFORMATION ON U. S. D A
DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
ELIGIBILITY. TYPE OF LOSSES THAT
ARE COVERED, HOW TO SIGN UP FOR
THEM, ETCETERA. AND JUST A FEW
WEEKS AGO, CDF A PARTICIPATED IN
A DISASTER ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP
THAT WAS HELD BY THE KINGS
COUNTY FARM BUREAU AND LAMAR. IN
TERMS OF OUTREACH AGAIN. THIS IS
REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING THAT
WE DO AT CDF TO IS KEEPING IN
TOUCH WITH ALL OF OUR
STAKEHOLDERS. UM WE USE A
VARIETY OF COMMUNICATION
CHANNELS TO SHARE THAT CRITICAL
INFORMATION WITH AS MANY OF OUR
STAKEHOLDERS AS POSSIBLE. AND I
THINK, AS YOU MENTIONED WE'VE
GOT OVER 400 SPECIALTY CROPS, SO
THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE
TRY TO STAY CLOSE WITH. WE
COLLABORATED WITH AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS TO PRODUCE FLOOD
ADVISORIES AND PROVIDE
INFORMATION TO LIVESTOCK
PRODUCERS. WE ALSO USE SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS TO AMPLIFY AND
SPREAD MESSAGING. FOR EXAMPLE,
WE POSTED INFORMATION ON CDF
PHASE ANIMAL HEALTH BRANCHES.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM TO EDUCATE
CALIFORNIANS ON HOW TO TAKE CARE
OF HOUSEHOLD PETS AND LIVESTOCK
IMPACTED BY FLOODS. IN AN EFFORT
TO ELEVATE THE IMPORTANT
GUIDANCE IN FACT SHEETS AND
FLOOD RESOURCES AND HANDOUTS.
ALL ALERTS WERE POSTED ON OUR
CDF CARE'S WEBSITE DURING THE
FLOOD RESPONSE AS WELL. ANOTHER
IMPORTANT PART OF EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS DEFINITELY THE
RECOVERY PHASE C D. F A IS ONE
OF THE PRIMARY STATE AGENCIES IN
THE RECOVERY SUPPORT FUNCTION
ECONOMIC RECOVERY. THE KEY
OBJECTIVE OF THIS FUNCTION IS TO
HELP COMMUNITIES RECOVER AND
REBUILD POST DISASTER. WE ARE
COORDINATING WITH OUR COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS, FARM
BUREAUS AND èC COOPERATIVE
EXTENSION OFFICES TO OBTAIN LOST
FIGURES THAT ARE THEN PROVIDED
TO CAL O ES INDIVIDUAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THIS
INFORMATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT IS ALSO SHARED. UM
IT'S ALSO USED TO SEEK A U S. D
A AGRICULTURAL DISASTER
DESIGNATION, WHICH THEN OPENS UP
LOW INTEREST LOANS FOR IMPACTED
COMMODITY GROWERS. IN PARTICULAR
WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN CALLOW
SZ ADVANCED PLANNING TO IDENTIFY
IMPACTS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED
WITH TWO LARRY BASIN FLOODING.
WE HAVE PROVIDED AN IMPACT
ANALYSIS RELATED TO CROPS AND
AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL AGRICULTURE.
FEED ISSUES, TRANSPORTATION AND
DELIVERY SYSTEMS WITHIN THE AREA
, FERTILIZER FIRMS, FUEL AND
FAIRGROUNDS. AND WE ARE ALSO CO
LEADING WITH TELL US THE AGONY
ECONOMIC TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY
AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC RESOURCES
FOR AG BUSINESSES AND FARM
WORKERS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
TRADITIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL
DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. IN
CLOSING. WE JUST LIKE TO SAY
THAT ARE CLOSE COORDINATION WITH
OUR MANY PARTNERS AT THE STATE
AND LOCAL LEVELS HAVE REALLY
HELPED US AT CDF A TO MAINTAIN A
STRONG REGIONALIZED RESPONSE TO
THE FLOOD EVENTS OF THIS PAST
YEAR. THESE PARTNERSHIPS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT AS WE
PREPARE FOR FLOODING AND COMING
MONTHS. AND BECAUSE, LIKE I
SAID, WE'RE IN CALIFORNIA. THOSE
WILDFIRES THAT I'M SURE WE WILL
BE DEALING WITH AS WELL. WE ARE
CDF A PREPARED TO HELP OUR
FARMERS OR RANCHERS OR DAIRIES
OR NURSERIES AND ALL THE PEOPLE
IN CALIFORNIA THROUGH ANY AND
ALL CHALLENGES THAT THE FUTURE
HOLDS. THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS
. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS,
PERSON. UM, THANK YOU. WE'RE
GONNA HOLD QUESTIONS AGAIN UNTIL
WE WRAP UP THE NEXT LIKE TO
INVITE LARA HOLLANDER EXECUTIVE
VISOR, FLOOD MANAGEMENT AND DAM
SAFETY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
WATER RESOURCES. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON AGAIN. THANK YOU. I
WOULD LIKE TO ECHO OF THE THANKS
FOR THIS. THIS HEARING TODAY. MY
NAME IS LAURA HONDA, EXECUTIVE
POLICY ADVISOR FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES. I
DID HAVE A FEW SLIDES THAT THEY
COULD BE BROUGHT UP. THANK YOU.
I COULD GO ONE BACK, ACTUALLY.
THANK YOU. SO, AS WAS ALREADY
NOTED, TODAY WE HAD AN
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS IMPACTING OUR
STATE. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE. THIS
IS A STORM TRACK FOR ALL 31 OF
THOSE DIFFERENT COLORS DENOTE
THE SEVERITY AS YOU CAN TELL
FROM THE BLACK LINE THERE.
THAT'S THAT WAS THE BIG STORM,
ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES. WE HAD
AN EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL, THE
HIGHEST TIER ATMOSPHERIC RIVER
THAT PLACE ON DECEMBER 20/7. BUT
IT IMPACTED ALL PARTS OF THE
STATE. THESE STORMS NEXT SLIDE.
IN JANUARY. IN PARTICULAR, WE
HAD NINE ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS AND
THREE WEEKS ONE EXCEPTIONAL THAT
I ALREADY NOTED FOR IN THE
STRONG TEAR FOR IN THE MODERATE
AND JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, ONLY
THREE STRONG ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS
TOTAL COMBINED IN WATER YEAR
24,021. NEXT LEG. SO THIS IS A
PICTURE OF WHAT ALL THAT WATER
DID AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. FROM
DECEMBER 1ST. YOU CAN SEE THAT
WHAT THIS SHOWS IS PARTICIPATION
OR PRECIPITATION LEVELS WELL
BELOW NORMAL FOR VAST MAJORITY
OF THE STATE, THOSE REDS AND
ORANGES AND PARTICULAR SHOW JUST
HOW EXTREME SOME OF THE DROUGHT
HAS BEEN. JUST A FEW MONTHS
LATER, APRIL 1ST THE PICTURE IS
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THE PURPLE
THERE THAT YOU SEE IN MUCH OF
THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND THE
CALORIE BASIN. THAT'S 200/200
PERCENT OF AVERAGE, SO THAT'S
HOW WE GET TO WHERE WE'VE HAD
ALL THIS WATER THAT WE'VE BEEN
TRYING TO. TO MANAGE THAT SLIDE.
SO AS WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED,
THERE HAS BEEN AN IMPACTS FROM
ALL THIS WATER AND ALL THE
EXTREMES, AS WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER IN THE CENTRAL COAST. WE
HAD THE PAGLIARO LOVE YOU BREAK
WE HAD IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY.
SEVERAL LEVEE BREAKS AS WELL. WE
KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE
PLANETA FLOODING MERCED, THE
CONCERN THIS RIVER LATELY. A
HUGE PART OF OUR FOCUS HAS
BETTER THAN HILLARY BASIN WHERE
THE MARCH STORMS CAUSED DOZENS
AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF LEVEE
BREAKS. UM AND LAKE BED
INUNDATION. THE HISTORIC HILLARY
LIKE THAT IS NOW INUNDATED TO
ABOUT 103,000 ACRES IS THE
LATEST NUMBER I HEARD OF COURSE
, THERE WERE IMPACTS IN THE
MOUNTAINS FROM ALL THE SNOW
IMPACTING HOUSES AND BUSINESSES.
UM AND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ALSO
MONITORING EVERY DAY ALL THE
TIME. THE SNOW MELT AS IT OCCURS
THROUGH OUR VARIOUS FORECASTING
ABILITIES AND CLINTON, WE HAVE
NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR ROLE AT DWR
IS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY
ASSISTANCE WHEN THERE IS
FLOODING TWO COUNTIES AND LOCAL
AGENCIES WHEN THEY EXHAUST THEIR
ABILITIES AND RESOURCES IN THOSE
LOCAL AGENCIES. WE ARE WE HAVE A
FLOOD OPERATIONS CENTER THAT HAS
BEEN ACTIVATED FOR MUCH OF THIS
YEAR CONTINUES TO BE ACTIVATED.
WE PROVIDE BLOOD FLIGHT
MATERIALS, FLOOD FIGHTING
ASSISTANCE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
WHEN REQUESTED. THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. GIVEN WHAT WE'RE
EXPECTING, AND WHAT WE'RE
ALREADY SEEING WITH SNOWMELT. WE
HAVE PREPOSITIONED EVEN MORE
MATERIALS THAN WE NORMALLY DO
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE HAVE 5
MILLION SANDBAGS PRE DEPLOYED TO
THOSE AREAS 40,000 SUPER SOCKS,
WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY VERY
LARGE. SANDBAGS AND FIVE MILES
OF BARRIER WALL PREPOSITION, BUT
THOSE LITTLE DOTS THAT YOU SEE
ON THE SCREEN THERE IN
CALIFORNIA ARE ALL THE PLACES
THAT WE PREPOSITION MATERIALS
SHOULD IT BE NEEDED THROUGHOUT
THE STATE? UH SO IN CLOSING, I
WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AND
OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU
FOR, UH BEING HERE THIS
AFTERNOON AND WELL TURNS OUT, UH
, THE LAST MEMBER OF THE PANEL,
MR JIM HOUSTON, CALIFORNIA FARM
BUREAU. THANK YOU, MR RIVAS AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S APPRECIATE THE
TIME. THIS IS THE NON STATE
PORTION OF THE PANEL. UM SO JUST
ONE OF THAT CLEAR SOMETIMES. YOU
KNOW, THE BUREAU IN OUR NAME
GETS PEOPLE CONFUSED, BUT WE'RE
NOT STATE WERE ACTUALLY AS MANY
OF YOU NOW. NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING ALL OF
AGRICULTURE. HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
WE HAVE OVER 28,000 MEMBERS
ABOUT 20 THAT I THINK THAT'S
ABOUT 23,000 FARMS AS MEMBERS,
AND THAT'S ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL
THE FARMS HERE IN THE STATE. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THAT NUMBER OF YOU KNOW THAT'S
GOING TO CHANGE WHEN THE NEW
CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE COMES OUT,
HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR. BUT YOU
KNOW, WE ROUGHLY HAVE AROUND
66,000 OR SO FARMS IN THIS
STATE. THAT'S A LOT OF ARMS,
ACTUALLY, RIGHT, UM AND THOSE
FARMS RUN THE GAMUT, ALL RIGHT,
AND SO YOU KNOW, OFTEN, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S YOU KNOW, FOLKS,
TALK ABOUT BIG AG BIG FARMS AND
DON'T GET ME WRONG THERE. BIG
FARMS. I DON'T ACTUALLY BELIEVE
IN BIG AG, BUT THERE ARE BIG
FARMS OUT THERE. BUT THERE'S A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMALL FARMS
AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF
FARMS OUT. THERE ARE SMALL AND
FAMILY OWNED AND FARM BUREAU, IN
PARTICULAR, SKEWS SMALL. UM SO
IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATE AS A
WHOLE ABOUT 80% OF THOSE FARMS
ARE CLASSIFIED AS SMALL FARMS IN
ABOUT 82% OF OUR MEMBERSHIP ARE
SMALL FARMS, UM AND THAT GIVES
US YOU KNOW A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE
ON HOW DIFFERENT THINGS IMPACT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND I THINK TO MR REEVES POINT
EARLY ON, UM THIS IS PERSONAL.
YOU KNOW TO OUR PEOPLE, AND I
KNOW IT'S PERSONAL TO YOU. UM,
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I REFLECT ON
22 YEARS AGO. YOU KNOW, WE WERE
SITTING IN A CONFERENCE ROOM AND
IN SALINAS WITH THE FARMERS OF
THE SALINAS RIVER CHANNEL
COALITION, YOU KNOW, UM AND THEY
WERE SHOWING US PICTURES OF
FLOODING THAT HAD HAPPENED IN
LIKE 96. I THINK SOMETHING LIKE
AND THE FARMLAND THAT HAD GONE
AWAY AND I MEAN GOD BLESS HIM.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED TO PUT CAR
BODIES ON THE SIDE OF THE RIVER
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE THAT'S
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND
YOU KNOW, 2000 TO CALIFORNIA. UM
BUT THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO SHORE UP
OUR RIVERS AND OUR LEVEES, UM,
IN A STATE THAT IT MAKES IT
REALLY HARD TO DO. I HAVE TO
ADMIT IT LIKE WE KNOW. I MEAN,
IF WE WERE BEING INTELLECTUALLY
HONEST, IT'S REALLY HARD TO
BUILD IN THE STATE. YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHY THE GOVERNOR, YOU
KNOW, TOOK BOLD ACTION. AND I
KNOW YOU ALL ARE ALL COMMITTED
TO TRYING TO FIND, YOU KNOW
ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE. AND SO
IT'S JUST VERY MUCH APPRECIATED
AND SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH. I
WAS HOPING TO SHARE YOU KNOW, A
COUPLE OF STORIES OF INDIVIDUALS
THAT SUFFERED I TRIED TO DO ONE
LIKE IN MY OWN WORDS, AND I WAS
LIKE, NAH, THAT THERE'S A
PROFESSIONAL WHO WROTE IT. SO IF
YOU WOULDN'T MIND ME JUST
READING REAL QUICK, YOU MAY HAVE
ALREADY HEARD IT. IT'S FROM THE
GUARDIAN THAT DIDN'T ARTICLE AND
I, MY EYES ARE NOT WHAT THEY
USED TO BE, SO THEY SO IT SAYS
THE WATER CAME IN FAST. THE
WATER CAME INTO CRASH. OH JEEZ,
IT'S HARD TO READ UP HERE. OKAY,
HERE WE GO. THE WATER CAME INTO
CRASH. TEARING THROUGH, UH,
PLANTED ROWS OF CABBAGE,
BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER BEFORE
CRASHING INTO THE TRACTORS AND
FARM EQUIPMENT. WITHIN HOURS,
MUCH OF MARIA INEZ CATALANS 41
ACRE 17 HECTARE ORGANIC FARM IN
HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA HAD
DISAPPEARED UNDER SEVERAL FEET
OF WATER. SHE HAD ESCAPED JUST
IN TIME AS THE FLOOD WATERS
GURGLE GURGLE INTO HER TRAILER
HOME. NOW THREE MONTHS AFTER A
SERIES OF STORMS, CATALAN AND
HER FAMILY ARE STILL COUNTING
THEIR LOSSES. THEIR DOG FLOOR
DIDN'T MAKE IT. NOR DID THE BEES
THAT CATALAN HAD BEEN LENDING
FOR TWO YEARS. THE FARMS ENTIRE
SPRING HARVEST, INCLUDING THE
PEAS, BEANS AND BEETS THAT SHE
SELLS. TWO JAMES BEARD AWARD
RESTAURANTS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND
SENDS TO FOOD PANTRIES ACROSS
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA WAS DESTROYED
AS WELL. EVERYTHING WENT TO
WASTE EVERYTHING WAS SPOILED,
SHE SAID. AND THAT'S IN
HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA. I SPOKE
THIS MORNING WITH A DAIRY FARMER
JOEY ROSA. KAREN KNOWS REALLY
WELL, UM, UH, IN PIXLEY, RIGHT?
YOU PROBABLY KNOW JOEY. UM AND I
ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, I SAID
WE'RE GOING TO COME TO THIS
HEARING AND THEY'RE GONNA HEAR
LAW SORTS OF FIGURES. YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR $290 MILLION
LOSSES IN KINGS COUNTY. YOU KNOW
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR NORMA
GROUP'S GOING TO COME UP HERE.
GOD BLESS HIM. HE'S GOING TO
TELL YOU ABOUT THE LOSSES IN
MONTEREY COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WE'VE
GOT STATEWIDE LOSSES, BUT WHAT'S
IT LIKE FOR A PERSON ON THE
GROUND? WHEN THIS HAPPENS? I
MEAN TO US. IT'S SO FOREIGN, YOU
KNOW, I MEAN, I TELL THIS STORY,
YOU KNOW, I WENT OUT AND THE
GARBAGE CANS WERE FLOATING
OUTSIDE MY STREET BECAUSE YOU
KNOW THE WASTEWATER BATTER THE
SEWER LINE THAT BACKED UP OR
WHATEVER, AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY
STARTED TO PACK UP. AND I MEAN,
OK, IT WAS A FOOT OF WATER AND I
WENT AND MOVED THE GARBAGE CANS
AND I FELT LIKE A HERO. THESE
PEOPLE ARE YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
REAL PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, TOM, I
WAS ACTUALLY LITERALLY TALKING
TO JOEY. AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT DO
YOU DO? DO YOU LIKE I MEAN, YOU
KNOW TOM'S GOT EQUIPMENT YOU
LIKE. HEY LET'S CALL TOM
BARCELLOS AND GET US, YOU KNOW,
EARTHMOVER OVER HERE. UM AND HE
SAID, YOU KNOW, HE SAID, YOU
OPERATE ON INSTINCT. YOU KNOW,
HE SAID, THE FIRST THING IS
DECIDING WHEN TO GO. YOU KNOW,
LIKE SOME SOME STUFF IF YOU'RE
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LEVEE,
AND IT CRASHES THROUGH LIKE YOU
JUST GOT TO GET OUT. YOU KNOW,
UM, BUT A LOT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS
AND FOLKS INTO LARRY RIGHT NOW,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S 2.5 MILLION
ACRE FEET OF SNOW SITTING ABOVE
PINE FLAT RESERVOIR. PINE FLAT
CAN HOLD A MILLION ACRE FEET.
RIGHT AND IN 30 DAYS, IT'S GOING
TO FILL UP AND START, YOU KNOW,
SPILLING OVER. WE ALREADY KNOW
EVERYBODY KNOWS. RIGHT. LARRY
LAKES THE SIZE OF LAKE TAHOE,
NOT AS DEEP THANKFULLY BUT BUT
BUT AS WHY, UM AND SO FOLKS ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN TO
MOVE AND WHEN THE FLOOD EVENTS
HAPPENING WHEN TO MOVE BECAUSE
AS AS MARIA POINTS OUT IN HIS
JOY. JOEY'S GOT COWS AND WE
TALKED ABOUT AND GOD BLESS THEM
. YOU KNOW WHEN I WAS A C D F A.
WE WORK ON THAT AND FAIRGROUNDS
ARE ESSENTIAL BECAUSE YOU KNOW
PEOPLE LOVE THEIR ANIMALS.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE VERY ATTACHED
TO THEM, AND SO THEY DON'T WANT
TO MOVE THEM. YOU KNOW, MOVING A
COW IS REALLY HARD THEY LIKE
WHERE THEY'RE AT. THEY NEED TO
BE MILK. THEY HAVE A YOU KNOW A
SPECIAL DIET THAT'S FED FOR
THEM. THEY'RE USED TO THE
EQUIPMENT THEY'RE USED TO. THE
GROUND'S MOVING IS TRAUMATIC.
YOU KNOW THERE, THERE'S
SOMEPLACE DIFFERENT. THEY'RE NOT
BEING FED THE RIGHT STUFF. UM,
AND SO EVEN WHEN THEY COME BACK
OFTEN TIMES, YOU KNOW THE COWS,
NOT THE SAME. UM AND SO, SO
MOVING YOUR COWS IS A IS A BIG
DEAL. MOVING YOUR ANIMALS IS A
BIG DEAL. SO THE FIRST DECISION
IS YOU KNOW WHEN TO MOVE AND IF
YOU HAVE TO, YEAH, YOU YOU
YOU'RE RELYING ON, HE SAID. YOU
JUST RELY ON INSTINCT. HE'S LIKE
HE SAYS. YOU KNOW THIS SORT OF
THINGS THAT I GUESS I MEAN,
MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT.
MAYBE YOU DO, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S SORT OF NEW TO ME. IT'S
LIKE, WELL, WHATEVER A LEVEE
BREAKS, THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE OF
THE LEVEE. RIGHT AND IT'S THE
PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT
ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW. OH I GOTTA
GO HELP MY NEIGHBORS, HE SAID. I
CAN DRAW YOU GO POINT TO EVERY
LEVEE BREAK AND DRAW YOU A MILE
RADIUS AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU
EVERYBODY IN THAT MILE RADIUS
WAS TRYING TO HELP. UM AND I
THINK, YOU KNOW. THAT'S REALLY
MEANINGFUL. UM AND, YOU KNOW, I
MEAN, A, UM I WISH THEY WOULDN'T
HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT. BUT IF
THEY ARE GOING THROUGH IT, YOU
KNOW WE SHOULD FIND WAYS TO HELP
THEM, UM AND ALSO TO TRY AND,
YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM WHOLE, IN
ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW,
PREVENTING THESE THINGS
HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE. UM AND
SO YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT
SORT OF THE STATION WHEN WE LOOK
AT SORT OF THE BROAD RANGE OF
IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, WE DID. I
MEAN, THERE'S GOING TO BE
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. TO ADD
PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA. UH YOU
KNOW, AFTER THREE YEARS OF
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO DROUGHT,
RIGHT, WE'RE FOLLOWING LAND
BECAUSE OF DROUGHT, AND THEN THE
DELUGE CAME AND SO YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY, EFFORTS TO INCREASE
INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT REPAIR
LEVIES ON THE GOVERNOR TOOK BOLD
ACTION ON HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER.
TO ENCOURAGE GROUNDWATER
RECHARGE. WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT, YOU KNOW, UM I MEAN, EVEN
WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH SIGMA
DISCUSSIONS, THE CDF A. YOU
KNOW, WE WERE WORKING ON TRYING
TO GET GROUNDWATER AS A
BENEFICIAL USE, SO FOLKS COULD
COULD SINK IT IN THE GROUND. AND
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT TOOK A
FLOOD TO DO IT, BUT GOD BLESS
HIM. YOU KNOW THAT THAT HAD
HAPPENED. UM YOU KNOW THERE'S
BILLS OUT THERE, UM USB 2 64 BY
SENATOR NILO, WHICH HAD WHICH
MAKES UM UH, DISASTER LOSS
CARRYOVER EXTENDS THE DENSE
SUNSET ON DISASTER LOSS
CARRYOVER. SO AS YOU'RE TRYING
TO COMPENSATE BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY, THERE IS NO GOOD
MECHANISM FOR PEOPLE TO RECOVER
THEIR LOSSES. RIGHT AND SO IT'S
A IT'S A BIT OF BITS AND PIECES.
UM I WOULD SAY ALSO SINCE I WAS
ON THE SUBJECT OF BILLS, UM YOU
KNOW YOU AND MS ZOHRA SORIA HAD
MENTIONED EMPLOYEES THAT ARE
IMPACTED BY THIS BECAUSE
ABSOLUTELY, AND SO YOU KNOW, NOT
ONLY DOES EACH PER EACH PIECE OF
FRUIT THAT COMES OFF THE FIELD
REPRESENTS A JOB THERE. BUT YOU
KNOW SOMEBODY'S GOT TO SHIP IT
RIGHT TO A PROCESSING PLANT OR
PACKAGING AND SOMEBODY'S GOT TO
HANDLE IT THERE AND THEN
SOMEBODY'S GOT TO HANDLE IT IN
THE VALUE ADDED CHAIN AND
SOMEBODY'S GOTTA HANDLE IT AT
THE GROCERY STORE. AND SO
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
JOBS THAT ARE LOST AND
OFTENTIMES FORGOTTEN. WHEN THESE
THINGS HAPPEN, AND UNFORTUNATELY
UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE. UM AND SO I KNOW
SENATOR DURAZO HAS A BILL TO TRY
AND SET THE FUN TO MAKE THOSE
FOLKS HOLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE INTERESTED
IN, AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED IN THE
PAST BECAUSE YOU KNOW THOSE
FOLKS, MARIA CATALAN IS A 40.
LOOK, IF YOU'VE GOT I MEAN SO.
YOU KNOW IT'S BAD FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A LARGE ENOUGH
FORM, UM YOU PROBABLY HAVE
INSURANCE. BUT IF YOU HAVE A 41
ACRE ORGANIC FARM, YOU KNOW YOU
PROBABLY DON'T UM, AND WHEN THIS
THING HAPPENS, YEAH. UM IT'S
DEVASTATING. UM IT'S LIFE
CRUSHING. UM AND SO, UM, YOU
HAVE TO HAVE A MECHANISM TO NOT
JUST SORT OF, UM, EKE IT OUT. IF
THAT MAKES SENSE. YOU KNOW, WE
NEED TO BE WILLING TO GIVE
FARMERS DIRECT RELIEF. NOT
HAVING TO GO THROUGH
INTERMEDIARIES, NOT HAVING TO,
BUT LIKE, DID YOU SUFFER LOSSES
? YES ARE YOU A FARMER? YES HERE
YOU GO. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE
RESPONSIBLE ABOUT IT. DON'T GET
ME WRONG, BUT OFTENTIMES, YOU
KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO YOU ALL
ABOUT THIS BEFORE. IT'S LIKE
THIS NATURAL WORKING ON THIS
LIKE THEORY OF GOVERNMENT, AND
IT'S LIKE EVERY STEP WE TAKE. I
KNOW IT'S UNINTENTIONAL, BUT
IT'S LIKE EVERY STEP WE TAKE. IF
WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, THE
NATURAL PROBABLE COURSE OF
EVENTS IS PROBABLY TO MAKE LARGE
ENTITIES BIGGER AND SMALL ONES
LIVES OUT. I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS
LIKE THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT
WE ALL FACE. YOU KNOW, I MET
WITH SECRETARY JANET GARCIA AND
I TOLD HER SHE WAS AT THE
HARDEST JOB IN GOVERNMENT, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU
GOTTA DO. YOU GOTTA TRY AND
FIGURE OUT HOW TO REGULATE
FOLKS. WHILE KEEPING BALANCE AND
EQUITY WAS REALLY, REALLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO DO, BUT WE'RE
GOING TO TRY AND WE HAVE TO UM,
SO ANYWAY, SO AS I REPORTED
BEFORE, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR LOSSES
. YOU KNOW, THERE'S 290 MILLION
IN KINGS COUNTY WITH A VARIETY
OF CROPS CLOSE TO A BILLION
DOLLARS IN MONTEREY COUNTY, BUT
WE NEED IS ACTION. UM WE NEED
WILLINGNESS TO PUT IN PRACTICAL
SOLUTIONS TO ALSO FOR WHAT IT'S
WORTH. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE
EMERGENCY THING, AND THEN I'LL
WRAP UP IS I UNDERSTAND HAVING
EMERGENCIES FOR LIKE, LIKE YOU
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND YOU CAN
WAIVE CERTAIN RULES. RIGHT.
THAT'S IT'S EXODUS SITUATION. I
GET IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
YOU HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
TO PROVIDE RELIEF MONEY. RIGHT I
MEAN THE U. WE SHOULD JUST HAVE
THE ABILITY TO SAY HERE'S A
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE
SUFFERED WE SHOULD MAKE THEM
WHOLE AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW,
EMERGENCY DECLARATION HELPS
SPEED THAT UP, BUT I THINK YOU
KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD
LOOK AT THAT, UM, EXCLUSIVELY AS
THE REMEDY. I GUESS IF THAT
MAKES SENSE, LIKE LIKE, I'M IN
NO WAY, I MEAN, VERY, VERY
OBVIOUSLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE
GOVERNOR'S EFFORTS, BUT I MEAN,
I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, I DON'T
THINK IT PREVENTS THE
LEGISLATURE FROM DOING SOMETHING
ON ITS OWN TO TRY AND CREATE
PROGRAMMING TO ASSIST THESE
PEOPLE. SO I PROBABLY TALKED
LONGER THAN I SHOULD. SO I
APOLOGIZE, BUT I DO THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HEAR
YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE ON THE
GROUND. AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS NOW, SO
THAT 20 YEARS FROM NOW. YOU KNOW
FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW
THE WORK THAT WE DID TO PREVENT
THIS FROM HAPPENING. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. AND
THANK YOU, MR HOUSTON. I REALLY
APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, UM AND
PORE OPENING UP. I REALLY
APPRECIATE. UM, HOW YOU OPENED
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS ON THE GROUND
AND APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THE
STORY FROM FROM MY HOMETOWN OF,
UM UH, MARIA ACTUALLY SPEND TIME
WITH HER, AND SO I WENT TO THE
FARM AND IT WAS A DISASTER. YOU
KNOW FARM EQUIPMENT THAT HAD
BEEN DESTROYED, SCATTERED ALL
OVER THE PROPERTY. UM YOU KNOW,
SHE SHARED WITH ME. YOU KNOW, IT
WAS CLEAR HER AG OPERATION WHICH
WAS HER LIVELIHOOD. SHE HAS A
FASCINATING STORY. IMMIGRANT
FARM WORKER THAT TURNED FARMER.
ORGANIC FARM ORGANIC OPERATION
AND. AND UH, HER LIVELIHOOD WAS
DESTROYED. COMPLETELY GONE. UM,
HER LIVED IN A DILAPIDATED
TRAILER. IT WAS DESTROYED AND
UNLIVABLE. AND SHOULD SHARE WITH
ME AND THE PANIC AND THE RUSH OF
THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. ALL THE
FLOODING THAT OCCURRED WAS
EVACUATED TO SHELTER AND
REALIZED DIDN'T EVEN HAVE SHOES
ON AND NOTHING, UM, WAS
DEVASTATING SIMILAR STORIES WHEN
WE WHEN I SPEND TIME WITH SOME
OF THE WOMEN SORRY WE'RE IN.
ANOTHER. AND THOSE THAT THAT
COMMUNITY WAS, UH, UPSET. UPSET
AT THE LACK OF SUPPORT MET WITH
RESIDENTS THAT WERE SUFFERING
FROM RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
BECAUSE OF THE CONTAMINATION IN
THEIR HOMES AND THE LACK OF
SUPPORT THEY'VE RECEIVED. UM AND
IT'S UH, TRAGIC. EXPECT MORE
FROM A STATE LIKE OURS HERE IN
CALIFORNIA, BOTH IN THE FOURTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD,
AND SO CERTAINLY WE HAVE WORK TO
DO WE HAVE CERTAIN YOU KNOW WHAT
TO DO, AND THAT'S WHY I
APPRECIATE CHAIR RODRIGUEZ, UM
AND THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER,
AMPARO AND WE AS WELL REALIZED
AND SAW, YOU KNOW THE
DEVASTATION THERE AND JUST THE
VULNERABILITY OF MANY RESIDENTS.
AND UM AGRICULTURAL WORKERS AND
CERTAINLY THE IMPACTS THAT HAVE
BEEN EXPERIENCED BY, UM YOU KNOW
OUR LOCAL AG INDUSTRY THERE,
NAMELY THE EMPIRE WITH
STRAWBERRIES, JUST THE ECONOMIC
LOSSES IS STAGGERING. UM BUT
ALSO THE COMMUNITY IMPACTS THE
WIDESPREAD IMPACTS TO OUR
REGION. AND ALL AGRICULTURE
REGIONS, UH, FOR THAT MATTER,
BUT WITH THAT, LIKE TO OPEN IT
UP TO, UM, THE PANEL OR TO MY
COLLEAGUES, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PANEL. YEAH I'M SORRY. I
HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE SEEN THE
DEVASTATION THAT HAS OCCURRED.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE LESSONS LEARNED, AND WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE POLICY CHANGES
THAT YOU GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW,
LOOKING AT PROPOSING THAT WE CAN
WORK TOGETHER ON TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE MITIGATE THIS. WE KNOW
RIGHT THAT NOW WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE MORE COMMONLY. THESE WINTER
STORMS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
, AND SO IF WE RECOGNIZE THAT I
THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME
COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS TO A LOT
OF THE ISSUES. I HAVE A BILL A B
8 30, WHICH IS A VERY SMALL
COMPONENT FOR MERCED COUNTY TO
WORK WITH SOME OF THE WATER
MANAGERS TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE
FLOODWATERS AND RECHARGE
GROUNDWATER. COMMON SENSE
APPROACHES THAT I THINK WE NEED
TO THINK MORE. ONE OF THE SO I'M
I'M WONDERING WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE THINGS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES
THAT HAPPENED IN MERCED COUNTY.
UH AND THE AND WHAT RESULTED IN
FLOOD WAS BREACHES IN THE CREEK
BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF OUR
STATE TO GIVE PERMITS TO CLEAN.
CREEK'S YOU KNOW, UNDER THIS
ASSUMPTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO
DISTURB THE ENVIRONMENT AND
GUESS WHAT. THE FLOODING.
ESSENTIALLY CALLED FOR NOW
PEOPLE TO COME OUT HANDS ON DECK
AND CLEAN UP ALL THE DEBRIS
WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT AT THAT TIME, SO
IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. AND SO I
THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AND FIGURE
OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
QUICKER RATHER, YOU KNOW, SOONER
RATHER THAN LATER TO ENSURE THAT
THE PLAN ONDAS AND THE WE COULD
HAVE PREVENTED SOME OF THIS
STUFF, AND THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY
UPSETTING TO ME BECAUSE NOW I
HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CHALLENGED
WITH, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T FIX
THEIR HOUSES. THEY'RE THERE
BECAUSE THE FLOODING HAPPENED
FOLKS THAT ARE RENTERS THAT HAVE
BEEN DISPLACED AND IT'S LIKE
WHAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
WHAT? WHERE IS THE PLAN? FROM
THE STATE. AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE
A SMALL LITTLE PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT HELPS ADDRESS
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF YOU KNOW
WHAT? MERCED COUNTY EXPERIENCE,
BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE, UH
, A GREATER PLAN TO MITIGATE
SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE'VE
EXPERIENCED THE OTHER
FRUSTRATING POINT THAT AND I'LL
LET YOU ANSWER THAT IF YOU GUYS
HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO THAT. BUT
THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS
FRUSTRATED. IT'S HOW LONG IT
TOOK US TO BE ABLE TO USE EMPTY
FARMWORKER HOUSING THAT WAS
RIGHT NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY SO
THAT PEOPLE COULD MOVE INTO A
SAFE PLACE DURING THAT, UM, THE
FLOOD AND THE FACT THAT WE HAD
TO NAVIGATE HOOP AFTER HOOP
AFTER HOOP WHEN THERE WAS 40
OPEN HOMES. WAS REALLY
FRUSTRATING. FOR THESE FOLKS
THAT WERE FARM WORKERS. IN THAT
SAME COMMUNITY, BUT BECAUSE THEY
WEREN'T SEASONAL. THEY DIDN'T
QUALIFY AND WE COULDN'T MOVE
THEM. AND SO IT'S LIKE, HOW DO
WE MAKE IT EASIER? SO THAT WHEN
WE DO HAVE THESE TYPES OF
EMERGENCIES, AND I'M GRATEFUL
THAT WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO
WORK WITH THE AGENCIES TO GET
THIS ALREADY, BUT LIKE FOR THE
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES,
HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE
MAYBE DO BETTER COORDINATION?
YOU KNOW? YES WE OPENED UP THE
FAIRGROUNDS. BUT DID WE THINK
ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER
ALTERNATIVES LIKE THAT HOUSING
SHOULD HAVE BEEN UP AND READY TO
RUN IMMEDIATELY, UH, FOR THESE
FAMILIES TO MOVE IN, AND SO I
JUST I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT OF
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I'M HEARING
STILL EVERY SINGLE DAY AS
MARILDA, WE NEED MORE HELP. WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
PLANNING FOR THE FOR THE
INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING UP SOME
OF THE LEVEES, ANOTHER COMMUNITY
FIREBOMBED IN MY AREA HAS A $60
MILLION TAG ON. EXPENSE ON
BUILDING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TO
LIFT UP THE LEVEE BECAUSE
THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THEIR
8000 YOU KNOW, RESIDENT
COMMUNITY WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY
FARMWORKER IF THE SAND WALKING
RIVER OVERFLOWS. THEY'RE GOING
TO BE COMPLETELY UNDERWATER, SO
IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE AFTER
THEIR FLOODED TO CLEAN UP THE
MESS, THEN I THINK DURING THE
PREVENTION SO I'M THINKING. WHAT
IS THE PLAN? DO WE HAVE A PLAN
TO ADDRESS AND HAVE WE'VE
LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM THIS
FROM THIS FLOODING THAT WE'RE
GOING TO SEE IN THE BUDGET OR
THAT WE CAN MAYBE POINT TO THE
BUDGET AND SAY, HEY, THESE ARE
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
FIXING. I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR
DIRECTLY FROM YOU GUYS. I THINK
THAT'S MOSTLY REVOLVES ME.
CHRISTIE I'LL LET YOU SPEAK IF
YOU CHOOSE OR DWR, UM, THAT WAS
A LOT THERE, REMEMBER? SORRY.
SO, UM. I WOULDN'T SAY NECESSARY
. IT'S LESSONS LEARNED, BUT I DO
THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT
WE PUT IN PLACE HERE THAT WE
NEED TO CONTINUE AND EVEN GROW A
LITTLE BIGGER, JUST WITH THE
RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY
HAVE. ONE WAS THE ADVANCED
PLANNING UNIT. WE REALLY, UM I
REMEMBER IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK
OF JANUARY, RIGHT? WHEN
EVERYTHING WAS BREAKING. WE PUT
THE ADVANCE PLANNING UNIT AND
THEY ACTUALLY BROUGHT MYSELF
FROM RECOVERY TO LEAD THAT
EVENT. UM AND IT WAS PRETTY
REMARKABLE TO SEE DWR AND SEE
THE FAA AND ALL THE ENTITIES
AROUND THE TABLE. NOT ONLY
PLANNING FOR WHAT WE THINKING IT
WAS GONNA HAPPEN. AH BUT PRE
POSITIONING ON THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO, THE REASON WE WERE
ABLE TO RESCUE OVER 200 PEOPLE,
THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO
PREVENT SOME THINGS AND PUT
SANDBAGS IT. I MEAN, THE BIHAR A
RIVER. I MEAN, YES, IT I MEAN, I
MEAN THE LEVEE BROKE, BUT IT
COULD HAVE BROKEN JANUARY
FEBRUARY WITHOUT THE WORK THAT
WE WERE DOING AROUND THAT AREA,
RIGHT? SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT
WE PUT IN PLACE AND THOSE ARE
THINGS THAT WE JUST NEED TO
CONTINUE TO HAPPEN BECAUSE UM, I
TOLD A COLLEAGUE OF MINE, YOU
KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE AND
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT NEXT YEAR IS
GONNA BE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S
GONNA START, YOU KNOW, FIRE
SEASON USED TO BE A SEASON NOW
IT'S NOT THAT BIG FIRE JUST
YESTERDAY IN RIVERSIDE, RIGHT?
SO UM, WE NEED TO DO CONTINUE TO
DO THOSE THINGS. UM UNDER OH,
YES, WE DO HAVE THE MITIGATION
PROGRAM FOR THE STATE THAT WE
WORK CLOSELY WITH FEMA ON ONE
THING WE ARE DOING. WE'RE
WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES ON
THEIR LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION
PLAN. IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT WE
WORK WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES
PROVIDE THEM TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM PREPARE
FOR TOMORROW AND I GO TO
COMMUNITY AFTER COMMUNITY SPEAK
TO CEO AFTER CEO WE CAN'T PLAN
FOR TOMORROW. BASED ON WHAT WE
KNOW NOW WE NEED TO PLAN FOR
WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE THOSE
BLINDERS OFF AND SAY IF EVERY
LEVY OR EVERY BREAKS, WHAT ARE
WE GOING TO DO, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE WE ARE TODAY THAT THAT
THAT'S THAT'S THE LEAD. THAT'S
THE WAY WE NEED TO BE THINKING.
THAT'S THE WAY WE NEED TO BE
MITIGATING TO ENSURE
INFRASTRUCTURES. DONE AND WE
NEED TO BE ASSISTANT IN WHICH WE
ARE ON THEIR LOCAL AS MITIGATION
PLANS. WE HAVE A STATE HAS
MITIGATION PLAN. THAT'S UP FOR
RENEWAL. RIGHT NOW. THAT'S THAT
THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO INCLUDE
ALL OF THOSE MEASURES THAT ARE
IN PLACE AND ALSO, I THINK ONE
GOOD THING FROM THIS FLOOD. IT'S
FEMA DOES HAVE A FLOOD
MITIGATION. GRANT FM, A FLOOD
MITIGATION ASSISTANCE. IT'S
DIFFICULT IN THE PAST TO GET
LOCALS TO ASK FOR THAT GRANT
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN THE
DROUGHT FOR A DECADE. LIKE WHAT
IS A FLOOD RIGHT OUTSIDE OF
ARVO, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
WELL, NOW I'M HOPING WE CAN WORK
WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO
PUT IN MORE GRANTS TO MITIGATE
THESE TYPES OF THINGS TO HIM TO
IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM
AND I WILL SAY JUST ON THE
MIGRANT HOUSING EVEN THOUGH
THAT'S NOT UNDER MY PURVIEW.
THAT'S UNDER B. C. S H. AND THEN
I WILL SAY ONE ONCE IT WAS
BROUGHT UP. I'M GLAD THAT IT WAS
A GOOD ENDING TO THE STORY. UM
AND IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL MAKE
SURE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN IN OUR
POWER TO IDENTIFY THOSE, UH,
SOONER INTO HOW HIS PEOPLE
QUICKER. YEAH. ANOTHER QUESTION
THAT I WAS JUST GONNA ADD. I
THINK THE OTHER THING YOU NEED
TO LOOK AT A STREAM BED,
ALTERATION AGREEMENTS AND THE
HOT THAT'S VERY, VERY LIKE I
MEAN, I'M JUST BEING HONEST,
LIKE FISH AND GAME. IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET EXTREME AND
ALTERATION AGREEMENT SO FISH AND
GAME NEEDS TO, LIKE, LOOSEN UP
AND BE REASONABLE ABOUT STREAM
BED ALTERATION AGREEMENTS. AND I
WOULD YOU KNOW THAT? I BELIEVE
THAT? THANK YOU. NOW I THINK YOU
BRING A GREAT POINT. AND THAT'S
WHY I'M DOING A B 8 30. AND I
HOPE THAT YOU GUYS REALLY TAKE A
SERIOUS LOOK AT IT STARTED AS A
PILOT PROJECT, BUT I BELIEVE
THAT IT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT IT
WORKS. AND I BELIEVE THAT IN THE
FUTURE IT COULD PREVENT AND
MITIGATE SOME OF THE FLOODING
THAT COULD HAPPEN AND HELP MEET
OUR SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER
MANAGEMENT GOALS THAT WE HAVE
PUT IN PLACE. SO IT'S A WIN WIN
. SO WE DO HAVE TO START REALLY
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND
BEING JUST PRACTICAL IN HOW WE
MAKE DECISIONS, BECAUSE AGAIN
THE ENVIRONMENT WAS COMPLETELY
DISRUPTED. YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS
FOR A PERMIT UNDER FISHING, YOU
KNOW, WILDLIFE OR I DON'T KNOW.
EFFICIENT GAME. YEAH, UM, THAT
TO ME IS, YOU KNOW REALLY
TERRIBLE AND YOU KNOW, I WASN'T
HERE FIVE YEARS AGO. I'M
GRATEFUL THAT I'M HERE BECAUSE
I'M GONNA BE CLOSELY LOOKING AT
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE DELAYS
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS TO
HAPPEN ON MY WATCH AGAIN. SO
WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE
ONE LAST PLUG FOR ONE OTHER
COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE CITY
MANAGER FROM THE CITY OF
FIREBALL BENGAL DIEGO'S HAS BEEN
ALERTED SINCE LAST YEAR, AND
PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY THAT
THERE IS GOING TO BE A MEGA
FLOOD. THE MEGA FLOOD DIDN'T
HAPPEN IN FIREBALL YET, BUT IT
HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, UPSTREAM IN
NORTHERN, THE NORTHERN PART OF
MY DISTRICT HE'S BEEN SAYING
IT'S GOING TO TAKE $60 MILLION
TO LIFT THE LEVEE TO MITIGATE
FLOODING FOR 8000. FARM WORKERS
THAT LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT
SUSTAINED THE AGRICULTURE
ECONOMY OF THE WEST SIDE OF MY
DISTRICT. IS ANYONE LOOKING AT
THAT? WHO'S EVALUATING THE FLOOD
INFRASTRUCTURE. I KNOW THAT
THERE'S DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET
BUT WHO IS IN CHARGE AND WHO'S
LOOKING AT THAT? I'M PUTTING IT
OUT THERE, SO YOU GUYS KNOW HE'S
BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN
COVERED ON NPR. IT'S BEEN
COVERING THE NEW YORK TIMES HE'S
BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT SINCE LAST
YEAR, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE
WAS PAYING ATTENTION. I'LL JUST
RESPOND BRIEFLY. LARA HOLLANDER
AGAIN WE DO HAVE IN THE CENTRAL
VALLEY, THE CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD
PROTECTION PLAN, AND A LOT OF
THOSE LEVEES ARE STATE PLAN OF
FLOOD CONTROL LEVEES. I THINK IN
THE ONES AROUND FIREBALL ARE AND
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVALUATING
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND YOU
KNOW, TRYING TO GET FUNDING FOR
THOSE AND FIREBALLS DEFINITELY
ON OUR RADAR. AND DURING THIS
EMERGENCY, WE'RE MONITORING
CONSTANTLY. THE CONDITIONS OF
THE LEVEES THERE. AND DO YOU
HAVE PREPOSITION MATERIALS? IF
ANYTHING WERE TO OCCUR, AND WE
HAVE BEEN PLACING ROCK AND AREAS
IN THE SAN JOAQUIN WHERE WE HAVE
SEEN SOME TROUBLE SPOTS START TO
EMERGE TO SHORE UP THOSE LEVEES.
GREAT THANK YOU. JUST LAST
POINT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU. I KNOW THAT. I ASKED
OBVIOUSLY, THE QUESTION BECAUSE
I'M A LITTLE FRUSTRATED, BUT I
KNOW THAT, UH, THE LEVEL OF
RESPONSE WAS ALSO KIND OF
UNPRECEDENTED TERMS OF YOU KNOW,
THE GOVERNOR SHOWING UP QUICKLY,
UM, DOWN IN MERCED COUNTY AND
MAKING YOU KNOW SOME SOME QUICK
CALLS IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS
AND SO VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
THAT, BECAUSE THAT DID SPEED UP
STUFF, BUT I THINK AGAIN, WE
REALLY HAVE TO, UM ENSURE THAT
WE'RE PLANNING A LITTLE BIT
BETTER FOR THE YOU KNOW,
UNFORESEEN, I THINK. RIGHT THANK
YOU ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? YOUR MATHS. FIRST I
GOT TO SAY THANK YOU. AH
ESPECIALLY WITH OH YES. THE WEEK
ALL OVER THIS HIT. I REMEMBER.
TEXTING SPEAKER RANDY AND I WAS
LIKE GABRIEL, MY TEAM WILL BE
SENDING YOU A OFFICIAL LETTER.
BUT I'M STAYING HOME TO MOVE
DIRT. I SPENT THE WHOLE WEEK
BACK HOME. YEAH. AND IT'S. IT'S
BEEN A LOT, BUT I KNOW HAVING
THE O E S TEAMS HAVING THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS AND IT THE FIRES
WERE KIND OF A BLESSING IN
DISGUISE IN A WAY BECAUSE YOU
ALREADY HAD COORDINATION AMONGST
ALL THE ELEMENTS. UM SO I DIDN'T
SEE ANY COMMUNICATION HICCUPS.
MY TENURE IN THE MILITARY
COMMUNICATIONS KIND OF ONE OF
THOSE BIG PET PEEVES. WE ALL
HAVE. AND SO TO SEE EVERYTHING
WORKING HAND IN HAND AND IN THE
BALL MOVING AND PEOPLE INTO
PLACE AND THINGS HAPPENING WAS A
GOOD THING TO SEE ON THE O E S
SIDE. UM TO WHAT A SIMILAR
WOMAN, SORIA WAS SAYING NOW.
WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE
HOUSING ASPECTS OF WHERE TO PUT
PEOPLE WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
EVACUATED OUT OF RIVERS HOMELESS
CAMPS. UM OTHERS OUT OF THEIR
HOMES. AND YOU HAD RED CROSS WAS
ABLE TO COME IN AND WAS ABLE TO
DO SOME OF THESE THINGS. BUT TO
GET OUR FAIRGROUNDS STOOD UP.
WAS A PROBLEM. THEY THEY WEREN'T
IT WASN'T AS FAST AS YOU THOUGHT
IT WOULD BE BY THAT. YEAH. AND
YOU HAD RESOURCES, AND THEN IT
WAS THE CAMP WAS THERE AND WERE
ABLE TO HOLD THE CENTER THERE.
BUT THEN IT WOULD GO AWAY. AND
SOME OF THESE FUNNY MECHANISMS
KIND OF MOVED AROUND A LITTLE
BIT WITH THESE THINGS. UM YES,
TONS OF NOTES ON THIS. WHEN YOU
LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT
CITIES, HE GOES BACK, YOU KNOW
THAT SOME OF THE CITY MANAGERS
HAVE BEEN LIKE, HEY, THIS THIS
IS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE SEE THIS
HAPPENING. Tð MR HOUSTON'S
POINT, YOU MENTIONED THE AMOUNT
OF WATER BEHIND PINE FLAT. IN MY
AREA. YOU KNOW, THE. TO LARRY
LAKE, OR, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE IT
THAT ITS RIGHTS TO THE TOOLEY
RIVER YOKA PEOPLE. TOOLEY LAKE.
IT'S NOT JUST PLAIN FLAT. IT'S
PINE FLAT. IT'S LIKE KAWEAH.
IT'S LAKE SUCCESS. THERE ARE
THREE DAMS. WITH THAT AMOUNT OF
WATER. READY TO MOVE. UM
HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T ALL MELT.
HOPEFULLY, WE GET A LITTLE BIT
OF SNOW PACK THIS YEAR. AH! BUT
THAT'S THAT'S IMPACTFUL. UM,
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF FEAR OUT
THERE. UM WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE
IS YOU ALL MENTIONED JULIA ROSO
AND TOM BRACERO. THERE'S SEVERAL
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE. GOING WITH
THEIR GUT. HAVING TO ACT
IMMEDIATELY TO GET THINGS DONE.
MY AREA. I MEAN, WE HAD TRULY
RIVER TRIBE GOT WASHED OUT.
SPRINGVILLE GOT WASHED OUT.
THAT'S ALL THE WAY UP IN THE
EDGEWATER'S. UM ALLENSWORTH, AN
ALPAUGH. I REMEMBER MAKING PHONE
CALLS TO. TWO TOKES MOSTLY, YOU
KNOW, COPY, CALLING THE
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION. A
CINEMA VIDEO AND WAS LIKE, BRO.
YOU GOT HIGH SPEED, REAL DIRT
RIGHT BEHIND ME, AND I NEED TO
MOVE THAT WE NEED AN EGRESS
ROUTE. AND THEN THREE HOURS
LATER. GETTING A PHONE CALL.
HEY, HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TALKING
TO US FROM MOVING DIRT. UM YOU
KNOW, TALKING TO SECRETARY GROW
FOOT AND MAKING SURE THESE
THINGS WERE MOVING. THE
RESPONSE. FOR WHAT WE WERE HIT
WITH AND WHAT WE'RE PREPARED
FOR. I SAY IT WAS GOOD. IT CAN
ALWAYS BE A LOT BETTER. TO THE
POINT ABOUT PLANTS BEING A
MILITARY GUY. YOU CAN HAVE THE
BEST PLAN IN THE WORLD IN HIS
SOON AS SOMETHING GOES TO
EXECUTE. MURPHY LAW IS GOING TO
HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE TIME, SO I
THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
THAT. AND I KNOW CHAIR
RODRIGUEZ. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
BEFORE IN THE PAST. THERE HAS TO
BE FLEXIBILITY IN WHAT WE DO,
AND THAT'S REALLY HARD TO DO IN
POLICY SOMETIMES BECAUSE THE
BEAN COUNTERS FORGET HOW THE
BEANS ARE GROWN, AND THEY LIKE
THINGS TO BE VERY FINITE. UM AND
THAT'S NOT HOW REAL LIFE WORKS.
UM MENTIONED ALREADY ABOUT. YOU
KNOW WHAT? WHAT CAN WE DO? TO
KIND OF CUT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL
GREEN TAPE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S
THAT TALK. HOW DO WE GET UP
THERE AND CLEAN UP THE RIVERS,
THE MENTION OF FISH AND GAME.
AH! ASSUME I'M SORRY YOUR YOUR
POINTS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
DEVASTATION OR SPOT ON BECAUSE
IF YOU CAN'T GET A PERMIT TO
CLEAN IT UP. THEY I MEAN THIS.
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT HABITAT
HABITATS DESTROYED. UM IN SOME
AREAS BECAUSE OF WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT PLANS TO BEING WASHED
OUT SEPTIC SYSTEMS BEING WASHED
OUT. IT'S UTTERLY DESTROYED IN A
BIOHAZARD AND SOME AREAS. THAT'S
NOT HELPING ENDANGERED SPECIES.
IT'S COMPLETELY RUINING
EVERYTHING. AH! SO WE HAVE TO DO
BETTER. JUST TO FIGURE OUT I
KNOW SOME AREAS THEY DO
COUNTYWIDE E I R S AND BANK
EVERYTHING IN FOR, YOU KNOW,
RIVER LANDS, TRUST AND FOR
CLEANUP IN THESE THINGS, BUT WE
NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO
THAT ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL.
CLEARLY I'M ONLY A REPUBLICAN.
SO MAYBE ONE OF MY OTHER
COLLEAGUES WILL WRITE THE BILL
AND I'LL HAPPILY JOIN AUTHOR IT,
UM GOT TO BE REAL DURING THESE
TIMES. BUT. YOU KNOW, WE HAD.
CORCORAN IS STILL GOING ON
PORTERVILLE. YOU KNOW
SPRINGVILLE WOODLAKE. HUGE HUGE
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY OUT THERE.
HANFORD LEMOORE. OR ON THAT
VERGE THERE ON THE MAP IF YOU
PULL UP THE KING'S COUNTY MAP,
IT SHOWS THE AREAS THAT ARE
GOING TO FLOOD. AND FAMILIES ARE
HAVING TO PREPARE THEMSELVES.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET IT
IN SOMEBODY'S HEAD. YOU'RE NOT
UNDERWATER TODAY. IT'S NOT GONNA
BE NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER,
BUT BUT IN ABOUT A MONTH DURING
FOURTH OF JULY, YOU NEED TO BE
READY. IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM
TO SWALLOW THAT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT UM AND I KNOW THE O. E S
TEAMS ARE DOING THAT. I KNOW
THERE'S TOWN HALLS HAPPENING. I
KNOW THE FARM BUREAU. IS
WORKING. I KNOW. EVERYBODY'S
TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST. BUT
WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW AGAIN. IS
WHERE THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN
TIGHTEN UP. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN?
OH, YES. TO MAKE IT WORK A
LITTLE BIT FASTER. WHAT IS THAT
LOOK LIKE MECHANICALLY? FOR US
TO TAKE BACK IS WE'RE WORKING ON
THESE POLICIES THESE NEXT COUPLE
OF MONTHS. FROM FOOD AND ACT.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO HELP THE
FAIRGROUNDS? STAND UP? I KNOW
SECRETARY ROSS. I WANT TO SAY
KAREN. UM SHE'S BEEN WORKING
HARD ON THESE ISSUES FOR A LONG
TIME SAYING, YOU KNOW, BACK FROM
THE WILDFIRE DAYS OF HEY, WE
NEED MORE RESOURCES. THESE
COUNTY FAIRS NEED TO HAVE. THEY
NEED TO HAVE WIFI. THEY NEED TO
HAVE POWER. THEY NEED TO HAVE
SHOWERS. THEY NEED TO HAVE THE
ABILITIES TO HOUSE PEOPLE.
BECAUSE THIS IS THE. AREA WE
STAND UP DURING THESE
EMERGENCIES. AND YET WE'RE STILL
NOT THERE. AND WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THESE THINGS MY FRESHMAN
YEAR 10 YEARS AGO. AND WE'RE
STILL NOT THERE. IT'S STILL NOT
A BUDGET PRIORITY. SO WHAT DO
YOU ALL SEE? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT
GIVE US THE MECHANICS BECAUSE WE
CAN TALK PIE IN THE SKY. WE'D
SAY, OH, THIS WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT I MEAN, PINPOINT
MECHANICALLY. WHERE EXACTLY, YOU
NEED TO BE DONE. WHERE THE FUNNY
NEEDS TO GO. AND I'M HAPPY TO
JOIN ARTHUR. ANYTHING TO DO
THAT. WELL I'LL JUMP IN. OF
COURSE, CDVA ONLY HAS A VERY
SMALL PART OF THIS. UM BUT WE DO
HAVE COMMUNITY WHERE RESILIENCE
CENTER GRANTS WE WILL BE
ANNOUNCING, UM, THE WINNERS OF
THOSE GRANTS, EMINENTLY, UM,
IT'S TWO PARTS. WE'VE GOT GRANTS
GOING TO FAIRGROUNDS KIND OF FOR
THE BIG CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS,
UM, AND THEN GROUNDS TO GO TO
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
KIND OF DOING THEIR THING TO
BUILD UP COMMUNITY RESILIENCY
ACROSS THE STATE. SO THAT IS ONE
THING THAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE
THE FAIRGROUNDS. UM MORE READILY
AVAILABLE WITH ALL OF THE
UPDATED ELECTRIFICATION
BROADBAND KITCHENS. BATHROOMS
FOR SHOWERS. PLUG INS FOR RVS
ALL THOSE KIND OF UPDATES DO
COST QUITE A BIT OF MONEY. BUT
WE'VE GOT THESE COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE CENTER GRANTS THAT
ARE GOING OUT THE DOOR AND
SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE SOME
PROGRESS IN THAT AREA. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR QUESTION. I DID CLOCK
WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE
FAIRGROUNDS NOT BEING RESPONSIVE
ENOUGH. AND I WOULD LOVE TO
CONNECT WITH YOU OR YOUR STAFF
TO FOLLOW UP AND FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS
MORE OF THE WHEN IS IT GOING TO
KICK OVER AND WHEN IS LIKE RED
CROSS GOING TO GET IN PLACE IN
IN THOSE THINGS? BECAUSE THERE
WAS A LOT OF THIS ARE THEY GOING
HERE? ARE THEY GOING THERE? AND
IT WAS WITHIN THE FIRST KIND OF
LIKE 48 HOURS. BUT I THINK JUST
ON THAT NOTE IF THE FAIRGROUNDS
HAD THE SHOT OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE GONNA GET FROM THESE
GRANTS. I KNOW TWO OF MY MAIN
COUNTIES APPLIED FOR THOSE AND
KNOCK ON WOOD. HOPEFULLY WE GET
THERE. UM THE OTHER PART TO REAL
QUICK ON GRANTS. IS IN REALLY
ANYTHING ON THE RESOURCE IS ON
DECLARING THE EMERGENCIES. UM IT
WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW? WHAT DO
WE DO AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION
AND THEN YOU FIND OUT YOU HAVE
TO ALSO DO A DISASTER
DECLARATION. UM TO GET FUNDING
GOING, BUT THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. FROM THE STATE DOWN
TO OUR LOCALS. I THINK IT'S
EXTREMELY IMPACTFUL AND I THINK
SOMETIMES ARE CITY MANAGERS AND
ARE COUNTING MANAGERS AND THEIR
STAFF ARE KIND OF LIKE, WELL, I
THINK I GOT THIS FIGURED OUT.
BUT YOU REALLY NEED TEAMS TO
KIND OF GO IN THERE AND KIND OF
DO THE HEY, BRO, WE'RE HERE WE
GOT YOU. WHAT DO YOU NEED VERSUS
WAITING FOR THEM TO ASK FOR
HELP? JUST I MEAN, WE KNOW THEY
DO COME IN AND HELP THEM.
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY DON'T KNOW. SO I DON'T HAVE
A MAGIC WAND. MAYBE STOP
DISASTERS WOULD HELP, BUT, UM
WHICH WE KNOW WE WON'T HAPPEN
HERE IN THE STATE OR GLOBALLY.
UM I AM NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT
BUDGET PROPOSALS THAT WE HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WILL
SAY THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT
WERE APPROVED PREVIOUSLY THAT
CAN HELP PREPARE CALIFORNIA WAS
AMAZING PROGRAM. THAT WAS
APPROVED FOR $100 MILLION. WE'VE
GOT $15 MILLION FOR JUMPSTART.
THAT WAS ALLOWED TO GIVE AND
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH
THIS, AND WE HAVE ALREADY
AWARDED SEVERAL MILLIONS OF
COUNTIES TO HIRE A CHIEF
RESILIENCY OFFICER AND THEIR
TEAM TO APPLY FOR GRANTS AND
THESE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST
IN THE COMPETE WITH THE LARGER
COUNTIES. IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT
WE WORK THROUGH THAT. AND WORK
WITH THESE COMMUNITIES, SO THAT
WAS OUR EXTREMELY GOOD PROGRAM
THAT WAS BUDGETED ALSO. 85
MILLION AT THE $100 MILLION WAS
ALLOWED FOR COMMUNITIES TO COME
UP WITH GRANTS THROUGH FEMA.
THAT WE COULD PAY THE COST
SHARE. YOU KNOW, 25. I DON'T
CARE WHOSE WALLET IT IS A LOT
WHEN YOU'RE MITIGATING WHETHER
IT'S $500,000 PROJECT $50
MILLION PROJECTS, A LOT OF MONEY
AND THESE UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES. THIS WAS A PROGRAM
THAT ALLOWS US TO FUND THOSE
THINGS, AND WE'VE SPENT A LARGE
PART OF THAT. BUT WE STILL HAVE
SOME MONEY LEFT OVER AND NEXT
YEAR TO GET THAT OUT HUGE
SUCCESS AND VICE CHAIR TO YOUR
POINT. UM THE MAJORITY OF MY
TEAM DOES NOT STAY IN SACRAMENTO
, THE MAJORITY OF MY TEAM OR IN
THE FIELD. WE ARE OFTEN TALKED.
WE WERE PROVIDING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE ON THE FRONT END
THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORT
COORDINATORS AND THROUGH THE
EMERGING THROUGH THE HIGHEST
THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR
THROUGH THE BUDGET AND ALSO
THROUGH RECOVERY. THIS IS A
COMPLEX PROGRAM. FEMA APPROVED
OR NOT. IT TAKES YEARS TO
UNDERSTAND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S WHY THANK YOU AT THE GATE
BECAUSE I SAW YOUR GUY'S BOOTS
ON GROUND. WITHIN THE 1ST 24
HOURS. IT'S IMPERATIVE TO BE IN
THERE. YOU SEE THE FIELD.
THEY'RE PAYING TO SEE WHAT THEY
NEED TO JUST GIVE THEM SOME
COMFORT. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
. RIGHT. SO OFTEN, YOU ASKED THE
WRONG QUESTION, AND YOU WASTE A
WEEK OR TWO OR YOU DON'T GET
WHAT YOU NEED. WHICH IS WORSE.
UM UM AND YOU KNOW THE E M AND
THE DISASTER DECLARATION. THAT'S
JUST AS COMPLEX. YOU KNOW,
GETTING THE E M WAS TREMENDOUS
IN THE FRONT END TO PROVIDE THE
FEDERAL RESOURCES WE NEEDED IN
THIS STATE TO GET WHERE THEY
NEEDED TO BE WHETHER IT WAS
SHELTERING. FEMA OUR FEDERAL
ASSETS D O D IMPERATIVE. BUT IN
THE BACK END OF THAT, IT'S HARD
TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO OUR
COMMUNITY THAT HEY, THAT DOESN'T
IMPACT YOU INDIVIDUALLY. IT
DOESN'T IMPACT YOU, UH,
COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALLY OTHER
THAN PROTECTING LIVES AND
PROPERTY, BUT IT'S NOT MONEY.
IT'S NOT A RESOURCE, AND THAT
DOES TAKE TIME. AND AS YOU KNOW,
PARTICULARLY THE SECOND STORM,
IT'S A BALANCE. IT'S A BALANCE
OF WHEN WE GO IN. IT'S A
BALANCE. WHEN WE ASKED THE
GOVERNOR, IT'S TIME TO GO TO THE
PRESIDENT. WE WOULD LOVE TO GO
IN THE FIRST FLIGHT. BUT IF YOU
DO THAT IN THIS STATE, ACCORDING
TO THE CURRENT WAY FAMOUS
CRITERIA IS WE WOULD BE DENIED.
SO UH AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING
THAT THAT'S FRUSTRATING FOR MANY
OF THE LOCALS, BUT THE REALITY
IS AS WE WERE ABLE TO WORK
THROUGH THAT. AND UH, IT'S NOT A
PERFECT ANSWER. NONE OF THIS IS
GONNA MAKE SOMEONE HOLE. BUT
IT'S A PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE, AND
I'M JUST GLAD THE FEDERAL
PARTNERS WERE THERE ALONG THE
WAY AND STILL ARE TODAY SO AND
THANK YOU FOR THE RESPONSE AND
WE DO HAVE TO MOVE ON. I KNOW,
UM CHAIR. RODRIGUEZ HAS A
QUESTION. JUST HAD A QUESTION
REAL QUICK. UM THANKS FOR
EVERYBODY BEING HERE AND
PARTICIPATING IN GIVE US A LOT
OF USEFUL INFORMATION. OBVIOUSLY
I SEE CALIFORNIA AS A DISASTER
PRONE STATE. RIGHT NOW WE'RE
DEALING WITH THE FLOODS AND
STORMS FIRE SEASON JUST AROUND
THE CORNER, IF NOT ALREADY HERE,
RIGHT? AND ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE
THAT EVER EARTHQUAKE. IT'S GONNA
HAPPEN THAT MAJOR EARTHQUAKE.
WHETHER IT'S UP HERE DOWN SOUTH,
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. SO SAYING
THAT WERE IN THE FOREFRONT OF
DISASTERS OR TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO HELP OUR OUR FAMILIES
. INDIVIDUALS UM, RYAN, I KNOW
YOU HAVE SOME SOME EXPERIENCE
REGARDING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
SHOULD NOW MORE THAN EVER,
CALIFORNIA STARTED HAVING ITS
OWN PROGRAM IN PLACE TO PROVIDE
DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO THESE
FAMILIES OR THESE INDIVIDUALS
THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS
DISASTER THAT WE'RE HAVING. SO I
CAN'T COMMENT ON A BILL THAT'S
GOING THROUGH PROPOSED. UH BUT I
WILL SAY WE DO HAVE CDVA
AUTHORITY NOW THROUGH PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? SO WE ARE
UNDER THE STATE TO PROVIDE THAT
ASSISTANCE. AND EVEN WITHOUT
FEMA ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE BEEN
FINDING WAYS TO ASSIST THEM
THROUGH OUR CDVA AUTHORITY, FOR
INSTANCE, UH, NON CONGRESS
SHELTER AND WE WORRIED ABOUT HOW
HIS PEOPLE AND TRAVEL TRAILERS
AND SISKIYOU FOR THE FIRES. AS
YOU KNOW, UH, EMPLOYMENT AS WE
ARE STILL IN HUMBOLDT TODAY.
THERE'S A HEARING TODAY ON THAT
AS AS AS WELL SO I CAN'T CAN'T
COMMENT ON THAT BILL PROPOSED,
BUT I WILL SAY WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN UNDER OUR
CURRENT LEGAL AUTHORITY TO HELP
THOSE MOST IN NEED. WELL THANK
YOU APPRECIATE IT. AND THANK YOU
FOR THAT. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
OUR PANELISTS APPRECIATE YOUR
TAKING THE TIME AND THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL THE INFORMATION.
AND NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR
SECOND PANEL, WHICH WILL SUPPORT
THE IMPACTS, DIFFICULTIES AND
THE SOLUTIONS. UM FROM THE
WINTER STORMS. I'D LIKE TO
INVITE OUR FIRST PALACE TO
SPEAK, WHICH WHO IS? UM, MR
PETER NAVARRO FROM NAVARRO FARMS
. UM AND THEN THAT HE WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY PHIL HANSON FROM
HANSON RANCH IS BOTH OF WHICH
ARE HERE IN PERSON AND THEN
ALSO, SARAH DON'T. UH SARAH
DOZER. EXCUSE ME FROM THE WINTER
SISTER FARM. SHE'LL BE JOINING
US VIA WEBEX AND THEN FINALLY
LOOSE RODRIGUEZ WITH ROYAL OAKS
FARMS, WHO WILL ALSO BE JOINING
US VIA WEBEX. AS I SPEAK. THANK
YOU. SO, MR NAVARRO WHEN YOU ARE
READY. WHAT IS THIS? WELL, OKAY.
THANK YOU. AH! GOOD AFTERNOON,
SPEAKER ELECT RIVAS AND MEMBERS
OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE. MY NAME IS PETER
NAVARRO AND I AM THE OWNER OF
NAVARRO FARMS IN WATSON, BILL,
CALIFORNIA. OUR FARMING
OPERATION CONSISTS OF STRAWBERRY
ACRES AND ALONG WITH MY BROTHER,
JOHN. WE ALSO FORMED RASPBERRIES
AND BLACKBERRIES AND WATSON
BILL, CALIFORNIA. I'M A SECOND
GENERATION STRAWBERRY FARMER.
WITH OUR FAR WITH OUR FATHER,
STARTING TO GROW STRAWBERRIES IN
THE EARLY SIXTIES AND THE
PARTICLE VALLEY. OUR FATHER WAS
OUR ROLE MODEL FARMING FROM SUN
UP TO SUN SUNSET IN ORDER TO
GIVE US A BETTER LIFE. MY
BROTHER AND I HAVE CARRIED ON
THE TRADITION. BECAUSE THIS IS
WHAT WE LOVE TO DO. DESPITE THE
CHALLENGING TIMES THAT WE'VE
BEEN DEALING WITH THE WINTER
STORMS, FLOODING AND STORM
DAMAGE HAVE BEEN VERY
DEVASTATING TO MANY FARMERS
STATEWIDE. SPECIALTY CROPS, OUR
WORKERS OUR OPERATIONS IN OUR
COMMUNITY. THIS HAS BEEN A STARK
REMINDER OF HOW VULNERABLE
FARMING OPERATIONS AND
COMMUNITIES CAN BE UNDER THESE
CIRCUMSTANCES. CALIFORNIA
STRAWBERRY COMMISSION. HAS PUT
TOGETHER A SHORT VIDEO THAT WE
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU
THAT DOCUMENTS THE DAMAGE AND
THE IMPACTS MENTIONED AND THEN
AFTER THE VIDEO, IF I MAY, I
WILL DISCUSS THE ACTUAL AFFECTED
ACRES AND THE LOSSES INCURRED.
SO IF WE COULD SEE THE VIDEO,
PLEASE?
WHERE THE LEVEE BROKE ABOUT A
QUARTER MILE DOWN THE ROAD. IT
CAME THROUGH FLOODED THIS FIELD
UP HERE ON TOP, AND IT WAS JUST
A BIG LAKE. I LIVE IN THIS AREA
FOR LIKE 28 YEARS. AND I SEE
THIS RIVER. FULL OF WATER. IN
THIS FEELS FULL OF WATER. THAT'S
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE, LIKE, NEVER
SEE. SO IT'S PRETTY SCARY. THEN
IT'S NOT AFFECTED ONLY PLANS
RIGHT NOW, FARMER A WORKERS TO A
LOT OF FAMILIES DEPENDS FOR THIS
INCOME. THERE IS THE ONLY INCOME
AND WITH THIS SITUATION IS HARD,
AND THAT'S THE IDEA. THE MOST.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
DEPENDENT ON STRAWBERRIES. IT'S
NOT JUST THE FARMER. IT'S THE
WHOLE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW THE
OUR WORKFORCE. THEY LIVE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. THE IMPACT WILL BE
FELT THROUGHOUT. IT'S NOT JUST
YOU KNOW THE FARMWORKER. IT'S
ALSO THE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE
AT THE COOLERS. IT'S PEOPLE
WORKING AT THE GROCERY STORE.
IT'S GOING TO IMPACT EVERYBODY.
I'M THE OWNER MARKET FROM 2012.
WE CAME IN AND TRYING TO CLEAN
THE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO. IT'S
WORSE THAT I EXPECTED. I DON'T
EXPECT TO FIND THIS DAMAGE IS
GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE
GONNA BE FOR EVER. FOR ME. IT'S
MORE THAN ONLY MY BUSINESS. I
ALSO LIVED IN THE SAME
NEIGHBORHOOD SO I HAVE FOR 13 14
DAYS. HARMLESS WITH NO WORD.
NINE COM MISTAKE, BUT. FRIENDS I
AM HERE FOR MANY YEARS AND THE
COMMUNITY. YEAH THAT. TOTAL. YES
I COMMITTED A AND FAMILIAR. A
LOT OF THEM WALKED OUT WITH NO
SHOES AND NO SOCKS AND THEY WERE
IN PAJAMAS BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE
RECEIVING THE ESSENTIALS THEY
NEEDED AND WE OPENED THE DOORS,
AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, WE
HAVE BEEN SERVING HUNDREDS EACH
DAY. PEOPLE ARE HUMAN. AND HOW
DO WE NOT? TAKE CARE OF THEM ANY
WAY WE CAN. WE HAVE TO. YOU JUST
FEEL FOR THESE CHILDREN LIVING
IN SHELTERS OF 400. YOU KNOW,
THESE PEOPLE DO NEED HELP AND
OUR GOVERNMENT ARE. STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THEY NEED YOU MORE
THAN EVER NOW AND SINCE ABOUT
HUMANITY AND DESPERATE FOR THEM
ALWAYS TOLD MY GUYS THAT THAT
LET'S CONTROL WHAT WE CAN
CONTROL LETS YOU KNOW, DO THE
BEST. WE CAN JUST SOMETHING THAT
WE DO. I MEAN, IT'S FARMING
PASO. UNIDOS SEVEN, SAID HE. AND
. AND I DIDN'T.
AS YOU HAVE JUST SEEN THE
FLOODING NOT ONLY WAS
DEVASTATING FOR US STRAWBERRY
GROWERS, BUT ALSO FOR THE
COMMUNITY OF PAR OH AND THE
SALINAS VALLEY. FOR THE
CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY COMMISSION
RECENTLY UPDATED APRIL 2023
ACRES ACREAGE REPORT.
APPROXIMATELY 1771 ACRES OF FALL
PLANET STRAWBERRIES AND THE
WATSON VILLE SALINAS GROWING
REGION WERE FLOODED. SO FAR, THE
LOSSES AND STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION
HAVE EXCEEDED OVER 200 MILLION.
THE FINAL TOTAL, NOT YET KNOWN
DUE TO THE NEED FOR THE ONGOING
CLEANUP FIELDS AND THE WAITING
PERIOD NEEDED TO SEE IF DAMAGED
PLANTS. ARE SALVAGEABLE AND WILL
PRODUCE FRUIT THIS YEAR. FROM MY
FARM FIELDS SURROUNDING MY
OPERATIONS WERE COMPLETELY
UNDERWATER. AS A MATTER OF FACT
, MY FIELDS WERE ADJACENT TO
WHERE THE LEVEE BREACHED. I LOST
A FEW ACRES, BUT THE IMPACT DID
NOT END WITH THE FLOOD. BECAUSE
OF THE FLOODING AND COLD, RAINY
WEATHER THAT CONTINUED PLANT
DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN BEHIND MORE
THAN A MONTH. MEANING THE DELAY
IN GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK
AND STRAWBERRIES IN THE PRODUCE
AISLE FROM THE PAR OH, IN
SALINAS VALLEY. THIS IS HURT OUR
FOR OUR SMALL FARMING OPERATIONS
SINCE WE CONTINUE TO INCUR
EXPENSES, WITH NO INCOMING
REVENUE. BUT IT IS ALSO HURT OUR
EMPLOYEES WHO WERE UNABLE TO
WORK AND EARN MONEY. OR VERY
LITTLE BECAUSE THERE WAS THERE
HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY LITTLE
FRUIT TO HARVEST. WE AS FARMERS
ARE RESILIENT, BUT IT HAS BEEN
SO UNFORTUNATE TO WITNESS THE
DAMAGE AND LOSS OF REVENUE TO
OUR WORKERS. BUT THEY WILL NOW
BE CHALLENGED TO FINANCIALLY
SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. AND
UNABLE AT TIMES TO SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESSES. YOU'VE SEEN THE
TRAGIC PICTURES OF PARK ROW.
WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN WORSE IS
THAT THE FLOOD WAS COMPLETELY
PREVENTABLE. HAD THE LEVEES BEEN
REPAIRED AFTER PREVIOUS FLOODS?
I HAVE THE HONOR TO SHOW THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF THE
DAMAGE FIRSTHAND WHEN SHE TOURED
PAPA ROUX AND MARCH SHE SAW THE
STRAWBERRY FIELDS UNDERWATER.
DAMAGED BUSINESSES AND RED TAGS,
HOMES. MANY IN THE COMMUNITY
WONDER IF THEY WERE IF THEY WILL
EVER FULLY. RECOVER. IT IS CLEAR
NOW THAT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN
THE PAST DECADES IS NOT WORKING
AND CAPACITY FLORIDA ACTION
HABITAT DEGRADATION AND
MISMANAGED LEVEE MAINTENANCE
HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THESE
EXTENSIVE FLOODING EVENTS. IN
BOTH THE SALINAS AND PART HERO
RIVERS. AND IF SOMETHING ISN'T
DONE IMMEDIATELY, WE MAY SEE
MORE DEVASTATING FLOODS OCCUR
AGAIN. I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE
WITH THESE THREE ITEMS. FIRST WE
WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR
DEEPEST APPRECIATION. DURING
THIS STRESSFUL AND DIFFICULT
TIME TO THANK SPEAKER ELECT
RIVAS. SENATOR CAVALLERO,
SENATOR LAIRD IN CONGRESS
MEMBERS ZOLOFT GRIN AND JIMMY
PANETTA AND JIMMY PANETTA. FOR
ALL THEY HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT
OUR COMMUNITY AND THE RESIDENTS
OF POP PRO IN ADDITION TO THE
FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ASSISTED
DURING THE FLOODING SECOND, WE
WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COMMITTEE
AND CDF A TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THE U. S. D A AND THE FARM
SERVICE AGENCY TO HELP EXPEDITE
STORM DAMAGE PAYMENTS AND
FLEXIBILITY. WITHIN THE EXISTING
USDA PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT OUR
GROWERS WHO HAD SUFFERED LOSSES.
SO IT WILL HELP US WITH THE
RECOVERY. FINALLY WE REALIZED
THAT YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS ON
LEGISLATION. IT HAS BEEN A VERY
DIFFICULT START TO THE YEAR FOR
MANY OF US GROWERS AND WORKERS
AND FARMING, SO PLEASE REMEMBER
US. THANK YOU, AND I'M AVAILABLE
FOR ANY QUESTIONS. AND PETER, I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY
. NEXT WE WILL GO TO, UM, MR
HANSEN WITH HANSON RANCH IS MY
NAME IS PHIL HANSON. UH MY
BROTHER ERIC IS WITH ME OR FIFTH
GENERATION FARMERS AND, UH,
QUARTERING AREA WITH HILLARY
LAKE BOTTOM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE
PROBABLY ABOUT 8000 ACRES UNDER
WATER. THE LAKE RIGHT NOW IS BUT
PROBABLY BETWEEN PROBABLY AROUND
80,000 ACRES AND ANTICIPATED GO
UP TO 100. WE COULD BE OFF A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER COMMENTS I'M
SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM WE ALSO
HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO TO PLAY IF
YOU LIKE. SO THAT UP. THE SHOW
OF SOME OF THE IMPACT TO OUR
DIRECT OUR FARM AND OUR
PERMANENT CROPS AND SHOPS.
OF THE TOWN'S RIGHT THERE.
YES.
THE POMEGRANATE TREES UNDERWATER
, AND THOSE ARE THE STATUES.
UM I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY
THAT WELL, MY BROTHER, HE TOURED
THE GOVERNOR ALONG WITH DWR,
CARLA NEMETH. I THINK KAREN ROSS
. UM AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY COMING DOWN THERE TO
SEE THEY DID. HE DID HIS PRESS
CONFERENCE RIGHT IN FRONT OF A
SHARP TALK TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND
IT WAS MUCH APPRECIATED. YOU
KNOW, WE'VE. AND SOME OF THE
REVISIONS IN THE BUDGET. WE
THINK A LOT OF OUR ISSUES AND
THAT WE NEED OR BEING ADDRESSED
THROUGH THAT. SO WE APPRECIATE
THAT. UM UNFORTUNATELY, IT TAKES
DISASTERS LIKE THIS TO WAKE US
UP. WE'RE GOING THROUGH A
DROUGHT AND NOW FLOODS AND WE
NEED TO REALLY. DEVELOP MORE
WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR
STATE, AND I THINK THAT THE
GOVERNORS PLAN IS TALKING
ADDRESSING THOSE THINGS? UM. I
LIKE SOME COMMENTS THAT I READ
TODAY THAT HE'S TRYING TO
ADDRESS IN THE BUDGET, SPEEDING
UP ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUITS. THE
RED TAPE THAT'S SLOWING ALL
THESE PROJECTS DOWN. UM AND THAT
THAT IN TUNE WHERE REDUCED COSTS
FOR THESE PROJECTS. ARE AREAS
THAT NEED A LOT OF LEVEE
REPAIRS. ROAD ROAD AND
ENHANCEMENTS AND LEVEES. MAJOR
ROAD. WE HAVE FOUR MAJOR ROADS
THAT ARE UNDERWATER RIGHT NOW.
IT'S WHAT ARE ARE. TO GET TO OUR
PROPERTY, AND WE'RE ALSO IN THE
DAIRY BUSINESS, TOO. BUT IN SOME
OF THOSE IMPACTS WERE TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER WHICH ARE VERY
IMPORTANT, BUT RIGHT NOW. IT
USED TO BE A SEVEN AND 7.5 MILE.
DRIVE ONE WAY IS 33. 33 MILES
NOW BECAUSE OF ALL THE ROAD
CLOSURES. UM. SO IT'S ALL THAT I
MEAN, FEEL, AND THEN WE WE'VE
HAD TO SHUTTLE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE
YOU KNOW IT'S HARD TO ASK THEM
TO DRIVE THAT FAR. AND WOULD YOU
KNOW THAT STUFF? SO IT'S JUST
TRANSPORTATION AND ROAD SIMPSON
SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED OR
SPECIFIC. REQUEST IS ROAD 88
THAT IT'S THE HIGH SPEED RAIL
CROSSING OVER HIGHWAY 43. UM
THAT WOULD SAVE PROBABLY 20
MILES OF THAT. HOLD UP
TRANSPORT. WE NEED TO FINISH.
FOURTH AVENUE SIXTH AVENUE.
CONNECTION TO UTICA AVENUE. THE
UNICORN AVENUE COULD BE ONE OF
THE ONLY ROUTES IN AND THAT'S
GOING TO EVEN BE LONGER THAN
WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. UM.
AND THEY JUST EXPRESS A LITTLE
BIT OF DISAPPOINTMENT AND PG
YOUNIS. REACTION TO THE FLOOD.
UM THERE. YOU KNOW, WE WERE
TRYING TO TELL HIM. THIS IS
COMING. WE NEED TO MOVE THESE
PANELS. THESE TRANSFORMERS. AND
BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATE REACTION
, AND THEY'VE HAD TO BE OUT
THERE WITH HELICOPTERS AND DIVE
TEAMS AND SWAMP BOATS, AND, YOU
KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S GONNA COST
WAY MORE THAN IT COULD HAVE IF
THEY WOULD BEEN RESPONSIVE, YOU
KNOW, AND THAT'S PROBABLY GOING
TO GO TO THE REPAIRS. MY GUESS,
BUT UM. AND WE'RE JUST, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE REALLY YOU KNOW,
CORCORAN IS A DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITY WERE A LOT OF THE
RESIDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO
PURCHASED FLOOD INSURANCE AT
THEIR OWN EXPENSE, MANY, MANY OF
WHOM CAN'T AFFORD IT. I THINK I
THINK THERE'LL BE THINGS FOR
SMALL BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMIC
TOLL ON THE CITY THROUGH THE
GOVERNOR'S PLAN. UM AND WE'RE
JUST, YOU KNOW, JOB SECURITY,
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND ALL THOSE
ARE JUST. VERY IMPORTANT TO US,
UM. AND JUST SOME SOME
SUGGESTIONS. TO AVOID THESE. WE
NEED TO HAVE AN AND IT'S BEEN
TALKED ABOUT INCENTIVES TO
PROGRAM AND LESS RED TAPE AND
THOSE IN EMERGENCY ACTIONS THAT
WE NEED TO HAVE BOTH ABOVEGROUND
, MORE STORAGE AND BELOW GROUND.
A COMBINATION. UM. WITH THIS IS
WATER STORAGE PROJECTS WILL
IMPROVE ENERGY AND FLOOD
RESILIENCY. AND IT'S THE BEST
ANSWER TO CLIMATE CHANGE. WE
NEED TO IMPROVE SURFACE WATER
AVAILABILITY. AFFORDABILITY LESS
RELIANCE ON GROUNDWATER IS PART
OF WHAT'S CAUSING SUBSIDENCE IS
WE'VE GOT OUR SURFACE WATER
TAKEN AWAY, AND SO THE ONLY WAY
TO SURVIVE WAS TO PUMP MORE
GROUNDWATER. UM. AGAIN. I WE
REALLY APPRECIATE THE GOVERNORS
AND THE RECENT EMPHASIS PLACED
ON THE FRANK CANAL AND THE
CORCORAN LEVY. UM. WITHOUT THOSE
BUDGET REVISIONS THAT PEOPLE
CORCORAN WOULD HAVE HAD TO TAKE
ON THE COST OF RAISING THE
LEVEES AS THEY DID IN 2017.
HOWEVER OUR NEEDS ARE FAR
GREATER INVESTMENTS IN WATER
STRUCTURE, HELP EVERYONE
BUSINESS, THE ENVIRONMENT OR
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. OUR
HOPE IS THAT WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS TOP OF
MIND FOR THE STATE, AS IS
CRITICAL AND THESE ARE
UNPRECEDENTED STORMS AND
DROUGHTS. THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND, UM,
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING
YOUR EXPERIENCES AND APPRECIATE
YOU BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
NEXT THROUGH WEBEX. WE DO HAVE
SARAH. UM UH A DOZER WITH WINTER
SISTER FARM. SO, SARAH, IF
YOU'RE WITH US, UM, WELCOME. UM
AND YOU CAN START WHEN YOU ARE
READY. OKAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME. I AM COMING CLOSER. I HAVE A
I'M I'M SPEAKING TO A VERY I
GUESS. DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF
VERY SMALL FARM AND WITH WITH
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IMPACT. UM
MY FARM IS VENTURE SISTER FAR
MOMENTS AND I'M A COUNTY AND
SEBASTIAN POOL AND, UM, I FIND
ONE JUST ABOUT FIVE ACRES WE
GROW, UM NEXT VEGETABLES WITH A
FOCUS ON WINTER PRODUCTION. UM
AND SO RELY REALLY HEAVILY ON
OUR GREENHOUSE AND HOOP HOUSE
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I ALSO SELL
PRIMARILY THROUGH A C S A
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE
PROGRAM. UM REMEMBERS MAKE AN
UPFRONT. COMMITMENT TO, UM. TO
PICK UP FOOD THROUGHOUT THE
SEASON, AND THEY PAY UPFRONT AND
SO THAT REALLY LIKE, UM
ALLEVIATED OUR LOSSES THIS YEAR
. UM WE ARE IN OR NEAR THE
LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA, WHICH
MEANS THAT WE DO EXPECT SOME
FLOODING. BUT THIS PAST WINTER
WAS JUST RELENTLESS FLOODING,
AND SO WE LOST. UM ABOUT £6000
OF STORAGE, CARROTS AND OTHER I
MEAN, WE GREW BY 80 DIFFERENT
CROPS, AND SO I DIDN'T CALCULATE
ALL OF THEM. BUT UM, I'M A
FLOODING LEVEL. THERE'S JUST A
LOT OF ROOT LOSS AND THEN
THEY'RE IN THE WIND STORMS. WE
LOST EM. A LOT OF OUR HIGH
TUNNELS OR WHO CAUSES WHERE WE
GROW ALL OUR WINTER CROPS AND
ARE DELICATE WINTER CROPS, WHICH
MEANT THAT WE LOST A LOT OF OUR
SALAD CROPS AND DELICATE THINGS
. UM AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN
BUSINESS THIS YEAR, IF NOT FOR
RCS A MODEL SO WE DIDN'T NONE.
NOT A SINGLE. ONE OF OUR MEMBERS
ASKED FOR A REFUND OR WAS
THROUGH THEIR INCOME. WE'VE HAD
UP FRONT INCOME. MM. AND SO I
FEEL LIKE DEEPLY FORTUNATE IN
THAT BUSINESS MODEL UNGRATEFUL
TO THAT COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A LOT
OF LIKE VOLUNTEER SUPPORT. AND
YEAH, AGAIN THAT LIKE UPFRONT
FINANCIAL COSTS, BUT, UM, IF I
HADN'T BEEN A C S A FARM, I
WOULD I WOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS
THIS YEAR, AND I HAD NO UM
THERE'S NO SPACE IN THE MOMENT
OF ALL YOUR GREENHOUSES BLOWING
AWAY TO LIKE. APPLY DO PAPERWORK
TO APPLY FOR FUNDING THAT SEEMS
GEARED TOWARD MUCH BIGGER FARMS
AND COMMODITY COMMODITY CROPS.
FARMS. UM. AND SO, YEAH, I'M
HERE JUST TO SUPPORT LIKE ANY
FUNDS THAT CAN MOVE QUICKLY. AND
UM, I GUESS GENEROUSLY TO SMALL
FARMS AT THE TIME, AND HE'S LIKE
, REALLY DRAMATIC MOMENTS. I
KNOW ALL THAT LOT OF FARMS
AROUND ME WHO I HAVEN'T BEEN
ABLE TO GET INTO THEIR FIELDS AT
THE TIME THEY COULD, AND SO
THEIR INCOME IS JUST SEVERELY
DELAYED. UM MANY FARMS ALSO LOST
GREENHOUSES AND HELP HOUSES AND
ARE HAVING TO FIND THE RESOURCE
TO REBUILD AND, UM AND YOU KNOW
, ON MY SCALE THE ACTUAL LIKE
DOLLAR VALUE OF THE HOOPS WE
LOST WAS PROBABLY LIKE $7000. UM
THAT ISN'T COUNTING THE CROP
LOST. THAT'S JUST THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, AND SO IT
DIDN'T SEEM LIKE. IF THE DOLLAR
VALUE DIDN'T SEEM TO MATCH THE
EMOTIONAL BURDEN OF LIKE, HOW
AND WHEN TO PUT THOSE HOOPS BACK
UP THE GROUND WAS TO LET THE
WINDS WERE TOO STRONG TO LIKE,
GO BACK TO BE ABLE TO REBUILD
THEM IN ORDER TO GET THOSE CROPS
UM, BUT, YEAH, I'M JUST I'M JUST
HERE ON A VERY SMALL SCALE, AND
WE'RE LIKE, EVEN LIKE ONE. EVEN
ONE WHO PASSED LOST HAS A REALLY
BIG EFFECT ON OUR SEASON AND OUR
INCOME. AND. AND JUST THE. THE
FANS THAT ARE OUT THERE LIKE THE
CALIFORNIA UNDERSERVED AND SMALL
PRODUCER PROGRAM, BUT UM, COULD
GET REALLY, YOU KNOW, REINVESTED
IN AND MOVED QUICKER TO FARMERS,
AND REALLY LIKE LOW PAPERWORK
FORM IS, I THINK WHAT WE NEED
AND IS LIKE DRAMATIC MOMENTS.
WELL THANK YOU, SARAH. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US AND
WE'LL MOVE TO OUR FINAL
PANELISTS ALSO WILL BE JOINING
US VIRTUALLY, WHICH IS LOOSE
RODRIGUEZ WITH ROYAL OAKS FARMS.
NOTHING. NO OKAY, SO WITH THAT,
UM ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. THE
PANEL. MR CONNELLY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. THANK YOU
REALLY APPRECIATE THE POWERFUL
TESTIMONY BY ALL THE WITNESSES.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
STARTING WITH WHAT IS SOMETHING
WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW IN
CALIFORNIA TO HELP ADDRESS THE
ISSUES WHICH YOU'RE FACING AS A
RESULT OF THE STORMS. TO ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO. YEAH. I MEAN, I
THINK THIS ROAD ACCESS ISSUES,
SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN
RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL. UM. I THINK A LOT OF
THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN LATER
WITH LEVEE REPAIRS AND YOU KNOW
A LOT OF THE DAMAGES BEEN DONE,
BUT I WOULD THINK WHEN YOU AGREE
THAT THAT WOULD BE YEAH, THEY
THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING ON THE
ROAD REPAIRS IS THAT THE LAKE IS
GOING TO BE AROUND FOR UPWARDS
OF TWO YEARS. AND SO ANY
INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT WE
MAKE NOW WOULD BETTER RETURN ON
INVESTMENT, THE EARLIER THAT
THEY HAPPEN. UM WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT LESS FUEL EXPENSE. LAST
ADMISSIONS, UM, LESS IMPACT TO,
UM, THE DISADVANTAGE COMMUNITIES
OF CORCORAN AND AL PARK. IF I
MAY, I THINK CONCERNING THE PARK
ROW VALLEY AND THE SALINAS
VALLEY. THE RIVERS THERE SEYARTO
RIVER IN THE SALINAS RIVER. AH!
SINCE I LIVED THERE IN WATTS
UNTIL I SAW FIRSTHAND THAT, UH,
IF MAINTENANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN
DONE THERE MOST LIKELY WOULD
HAVE BEEN A FLOOD. AND SO I
CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH
THAT WE NEED THE PERMIT PROCESS
TO CLEAN THE RIVERS EXPEDITED.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE SAYING
THERE'S A EL NINO COMING. AND IF
IT DOES ARRIVE, AND IF THE LEVEE
SYSTEMS THE RIVER STAY IN THE
CONDITION THEY ARE NOW. WE MOST
LIKELY WILL GET FLOODED AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, PART HERO. MY AREA
WILL BE FLOODED AND MOST LIKELY
WATSON VILLE IN SANTA CRUZ
COUNTY. YOU KNOW, WE CAME VERY
CLOSE. YOU KNOW, MY FIELD IS
RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE LEVEE,
AND SO I SAW THE FIELDS RIGHT
ACROSS THE LEVEE BREACH, AND IT
CAME VERY CLOSE TO FLOODING
MINE. SO THAT I CANNOT EMPHASIZE
ENOUGH NOT ONLY THE RIVERS BUT
THE CREEKS THAT FLOW INTO THE
RIVERS. THEY NEED TO BE CLEANED
OUT. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T DONE
FOR YEARS IN OUR AREA, AND
THAT'S THE RESULT. SO THAT WAS
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD STRESS WITH
THAT, AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP
EARLIER ABOUT THE PERMITTING AND
THE FISH AND WILDLIFE. THAT'S A
LOT OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF A LACK
OF CLEANING OUT RICH CHANNELS
AND RIVERS AND BANKS AND YOU GET
SQUIRREL HOLES AND YOU CAN'T GO
MAINTAIN AND FIX THINGS. AND
THEY IF THE SQUIRREL HOLES THEY
BREAK RIGHT THROUGH, SO IT'S
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE MAINTAIN AND
DO THAT PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT AROUND FOR
PERMITTING HIS KEY. FORM THAT
THE FINAL PANELIST IS UH, HAS
JOINED US. AND SO, MISS
RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE,
UM YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO
OFFER YOUR TESTIMONY.
THERE WE GO, ALRIGHT. KITCHEN.
YES, SEE? OKAY? OKAY THANKS,
SAYS NUMBER RODRIGUEZ. PEOPLE IN
. HAROLD LINGLE. HMM. EDDIE ONTO
THE MAST OAN. NO SENSE. OMAN
TODAVÍA ASTRAY. I'LL BE
TRANSLATING FOR LOOSE IN REAL
TIME, SHE SAYS. HER NAME IS LUIS
RODRIGUEZ. SHE'S BEEN LIVING IN
PERU FOR 23 YEARS. UM, AND ON
MARCH 11TH SHE WITNESSED OR
LIVED IN A NIGHTMARE. WHERE THEY
CONTINUE TO LOSE. ALLAMA DRUG.
YOU GOTTA N N AMBULANCE AROSE AS
A KIND OF CASA NADA MUST. THEY
WON'T S¼ CARILLO. SAYS. AS A
PASTOR KAMALA'S STUFF, SAY
MEDIAN UNIT. AT AROUND 12:31
A.M. ON THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
MIDDLE OF THE EARLY MORNING
FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY
SERVICE SERVICES EVACUATED
RESIDENTS IN HER COMMUNITY DUE
TO THE LEVEE BREACH AND
FLOODING. WHERE THEY CONTINUE.
MEMENTO TRUSTING, ALMOST
CAUTIOUS LATINA. BINGO QUATTRO
EGAN'S. CUANDO. K¾T. SHE AT THAT
MOMENT SHE HAD SHE HAS FOUR
DAUGHTERS, AND THEY BEGAN
TOGETHER ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS
. WHATEVER THEY COULD, UM AND
HEAD OUT WITH HER HUSBAND
TELLING HER TO QUICKLY GRAB
EVERYTHING BECAUSE THE WATER WAS
COMING, WHETHER CONTINUE TO
LOSE. AND CARLOS CAMARA A
MEDIOCRE BUT NO, NO, NOT TO BE
MUSCLE CAR ERA. LENO'S ALSO SAID
YES. ME HAVE CALLED THE WHAT YOU
EAT Ó. ONE DOOR. NO NOT. AH AS
SOON AS THAT HAPPENED TO HER
HUSBAND WENT TO GRAB HER
DAUGHTERS. THE YOUNGEST
DAUGHTERS CAN, UM, CAN EVEN WALK
AND AT THAT POINT, THE WATER WAS
ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF, AND
THEY TRIED TO EVACUATE AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. AND THEY PROBABLY
ONLY GOT ABOUT 100 FT. AWAY.
WHETHER CONTINUOUSLY. YOU DON'T
KNOW. SECOND COMPLETO. DOING
HERE AND THE MR SHE HAS. MUST
BE, CAN YOU JUST TELL ME THIS IS
BETTER THAN MR TO INDIA. AND
THERE'S SOME MEMENTOS. OKAY.
OKAY, LOOK AT WHAT HE HAS SAID.
LARRY HACKETT, SOVIET ANOTHER
MUSK IN PEACE AND FRENO. LAST
SECOND. RESTING COMEDIANS AND
HORSE AROUND ON THE SOUND. SHE
SAID THAT HER. UM HER DAUGHTERS
. THEY RAN TO HER DAUGHTER'S CAR
THEY COULD. THE CAR WASN'T
WORKING. THERE WAS PROBABLY SOME
ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE AND THE
DAUGHTER WAS TELLING MS
RODRIGUEZ THAT THE CAR WASN'T
TURNING ON. SO MISS RODRIGUEZ
TOLD THE DAUGHTERS JUST GET INTO
THE CAR AND TO SHELTER IN THERE,
AND WHILE SHE PUSHED THE CAR
FROM THE BACK ABOUT FIVE MILES
OR SO, UM AND, UM PROCEEDED.
WHETHER CONTINUOUSLY. THEY
HAVEN'T WHAT I SAID IDEA. CANNOT
GET ON THAT OTHER SPEAKING
PODIUM. MUSLIMS MELMASON CARD,
DON'T THEY ISOLATE ORDER RAMOS
ESTÁ. NO WE MUST HAVE TOLD YOU
THAT TIENDA FAMOUS THEIR FOOD
CARRY ON. AND THAT SAME
MOMENTUM. FIDDLE DECADE'S.
LOGOS. AND HE SAYS TO POTOSI AND
. RAMOS.
SO UM, AFTER THEY REACHED THE,
UM THEY REACHED A GAS STATION
WHEN SHE AFTER SHE FINISHED
PUSHING THE CAR AND IT WAS THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AGAIN, AND
THEY WERE TOLD TO LEAVE THE CAR
THERE AND TO JUST CONTINUE TO
WALK BY FOOT TO GET AWAY AND THE
CAR WAS JUST LEFT THERE BECAUSE
THAT AREA BECAME A RESTRICTED
AREA AFTER IN THE AFTERMATH OF
THE CAR WAS ABANDONED, AND THEY
WALKED TO A PARKING LOT AT A
STORE AT A NEARBY STORE. UM AND
THEN PROCEEDED TO LOOK FOR SOME
SORT OF SHELTER. WHATEVER THEY
COULD FIND UNTIL THEY FINALLY
FOUND ONE AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT DAWN HOURS, AND THEY
GOT TO A SHELTER AND I WAS VERY
OVERCROWDED. THERE WAS SO MANY
PEOPLE HER DAUGHTERS WERE
SCARED, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF,
UM FOLKS WHO WERE COUGHING WHO
ARE SICK. IT SEEMED LIKE AND, UM
ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS, UM AND HER
TWO DAUGHTERS ENDED UP GETTING
SICK, TOO, FROM THE OVERCROWDED
CONDITIONS OF THE SHELTER. FOR
THE CONTINUOUS. CUANDO UNA
MANANA FORMULAS DS CANNOT BE
MOSELLE. FULFILLS MORE THAN YOU
MUST HAVE AND CARILLO. ON THE
CÁC LOOK AT THAT PERSON,
MOHANDAS. IS THAT ONE THAT HERE
FROM THE ASSEMBLYMAN UNDER
VIDEOS. AND I FOUND THIS
EXPERIENCE. LOOK AT THIS.
HAMMOCK COMMUNITY CASA. COME
WITH, YOU KNOW THEY WENT
TOUCHES, NOT THE NF CASA TRABAJO
PARA THIS. PUT THIS HERE. I'M
GONNA NO SERVICE ASSISTED
MEMENTOS, CASA. SHE SAYS ABOUT
THE NEXT MORNING AT AROUND 10
A.M. THEY WERE NEAR THE SHELTER
AND NEAR THE RIVER TO A WENT OUT
TO SEE THE DAMAGE OR TO SURVEY
AND IT WAS REALLY SADDENING, SHE
SAID. TO SEE VARIOUS PEOPLE
COMING OUT OF THE FLOODING, A
WET AND COMPLETELY WITH
EVERYTHING COMPLETELY DESTROYED,
SHE SAID IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO
SEE HER COMMUNITY, HER NEIGHBORS
HER HOME. HER WORKPLACE. SHE'S
AT WORK START WORLD OAKS FARM
COMPLETELY UNDERWATER DROUGHT
FLOODED, UM AND NO LONGER
WORKABLE. UM. AND IT WAS VERY
TRAUMATIZING SIGHT TO SEE THAT
WHEN SHE WHEN SHE SAW IT THE
NEXT MORNING CONTINUE TO LOSE.
TÌM COMMUNISM, YOU KNOW LAST
YEAR NEXT ONE APPLICATION THAT
CLEAR MESSAGE YET, BUT I WILL
TRY TO BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE
INDOOR LINEA. ALSO THROWS. LAST
PERSONAS CANNOT KENNELS TELL YOU
BETTER UNDERSTORY TEST COLAS,
JUDAS CHEMICAL. NEITHER
PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL.
SHE SAYS. AFTER THE SEEING THAT
TERRIBLE SIGHT FOLKS BEGAN TO
HAND OUT APPLICATIONS ON SITE
AND TO, UM AND THEN ADVISE THE
IMPACTED RESIDENTS TO FILL OUT
APPLICATIONS FOR VARIOUS
DIFFERENT RESOURCES. VERY
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO ASSIST THE
VICTIMS OF THE FLOODING. AND SHE
SAYS SHE'S VERY THANKFUL TO A
LOCAL NONPROFIT IN THE DISTRICT.
AMPARO CASA DE LA CULTURA, WHO
UM, CONSTANTLY HAS BEEN
ASSISTING AND HELPING THEM
THROUGHOUT THIS TERRIBLE
EXPERIENCE. UM BUT SHE DOES NOTE
THAT THE RESOURCES AND THE
ASSISTANCE WAS, UM UH,
INADEQUATE WAS VERY LITTLE, UM,
COMPARED TO THE NEED. WHERE THEY
CONTINUE TO LOSE, BUT. STANDS IN
THE BABY. MOST AND THEN WE MUST
ASK, EVEN THOUGH LINEAR, BUT I
CANNOT TELL YOU THAT I'M TRYING
TO TELL IS THERE IN ARMY SEMANA.
EASY NO VÆ TODAY. DON'T THEY
MOMENTUM, BUT AT THE GONDO
GARDEN, STAN DON'T WORRY TO
FAMINE ALSO KNOWS AS TO WHAT YOU
DON'T KNOW. OKAY? JACK. ESTO NOS
. YES THEY ARE NOT. INVESTING.
SHE SAYS THAT, UM UH, THEY HAVE
AT THIS NOW. IN CURRENT DAYS,
SHE'S STILL HAS BEEN DISPLACED.
SHE CAN RETURN TO HER HOME AND
SHE'S STAYING AT A HOTEL. UH,
CURRENTLY, AND SHE SAID THAT THE
PROCESS FOR GETTING ASSISTANCE
TO STAY AT THE HOTEL OR TO PAY
FOR THE HOTEL. UM SHE HAD TO
WAIT IN LONG LINES. IT WAS A
LONG PROCESS OF TEDIOUS PROCESS.
TO FINALLY SECURE THOSE
RESOURCES. AND THANKFULLY, SHE
SAID THAT FEMA HAS BEEN ABLE TO
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR TEMPORARY
HOTEL. UM HOUSING FOR PAYING, UM
, 10 DAYS AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY
STAYING WHERE THEY WERE STAYING
AT THE SHERATON AMPARO VALLEY.
LOOSE. YEAH WHAT UP WITH ANOTHER
SYSTEM OF THE CITY THAT YOU. OUR
GARDEN THE BEGINNING. SHE SAYS
THAT NOW IT'S JUST A WAITING
GAME TO SEE IF FEMALE WILL
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEM AS
ASSISTANCE AND WILL CONTINUE TO
PAY FOR THEIR HOUSING WHILE THEY
GET BACK ON THEIR FEET, AND
WHILE SHE'S ABLE TO GET TO WORK
BECAUSE SHE STILL HAS IS NOT
ABLE TO WORK, SHE SAW IT AND
FOUND A DIFFERENT JOB. UM AND
IT'S TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS AND
OBVIOUSLY, SHE SAID. SHE NOTED
THAT, UM WITHOUT THE DECLARATION
PREVIOUSLY, SHE NOTED THAT
WITHOUT THE DARK EMERGENCY
DECLARATION THEY WOULDN'T HAVE
ANY ABLE TO PAY IT ON THEIR OWN.
SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE
DONE AND THEY COULDN'T AFFORD A
HOTEL ON THEIR OWN. SO UM,
THAT'S CURRENTLY WHERE SHE'S
OUT, IS WAITING TO SEE A FEMA
WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT
ASSISTANCE. AND I TOLD US.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA COME ON. PLACE
S¼. AND THEN WE MOVED TO IN
CONTRAST TO TRAVEL TO AND LENTIL
TRABAJO. E. DONE THIS TRAVEL BAN
VANDALIZED, PERSONAS SAYS. SOME
OF THE MY NANA. OKAY SO SHE SAYS
, AH, THE LAST THING SHE WANTED
TO KNOW THAT ON HER JOB, AND IS
THAT, UM, WHERE SHE WAS WORKING
AT ROYAL LOOKS FORMS. IT'S
COMPLETELY FLOODED AS YOU
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY AND WORKED
. SADLY WORK HAS BEEN VERY SLOW
RIGHT NOW, AND SHE'S CONTINUING
TO LOOK FOR JOBS, BUT SHE NOTES
THAT WHERE THERE ARE JOBS
AVAILABLE THE FARMS OR THE, UM
AGRICULTURE AH, UM, SITES THAT
ARE WHERE THERE ARE SOME JOBS
AVAILABLE THAT THEY'RE ONLY
OFFERING WORK TO THEIR CURRENT
EMPLOYEES. AND THEY'RE NOT. SHE
HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A
DIFFERENT JOB IN IN IN THE AREA
. UM SO SHE'S STILL LOOKING.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO WORK FOR
HER. SOMETHING THAT THE IMPACT
OF CONTINUING GET. I MEAN,
THAT'S YOUR. AMINA. WHAT'S IN
VILLANOVA, OTRA NINA. AND TOLD
US. NOT ANYMORE. COMPOSER. SUS
THIAGO. ONE IS THE MOMENTUM.
HMM. OKAY DOLLARS. SHE ALSO
WANTS TO NOTE THAT, UM UM
PROVIDED PROVIDING FOR HER
DAUGHTERS TO GO TO SCHOOL HAS
BEEN VERY CHALLENGING. THAT'S
BEEN ANOTHER MAJOR STRUGGLE FOR
HER AND HER FAMILY BECAUSE ONE A
DAUGHTER GOES TO A DIFFERENT
SCHOOL. ON ONE END OF THE OF THE
, UH THE CITY OR THE TOWN AND
THE OTHER ANOTHER DAUGHTER GOES
TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL AT A
DIFFERENT END OF THE OF HER
COMMUNITY, SO IT'S BEEN VERY
CHALLENGING AGAIN. SHE'S ALSO
HAVING BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH
TRANSPORTATION WITH LACK OF
TRANSPORTATION. BECAUSE OF
MECHANICAL STRUGGLES WITH HER
CAR. SO UM, SCHOOLING HAS BEEN
PROVIDING TAKING HER CHILDREN.
HER CHILDREN. HER DAUGHTERS TO
SCHOOL HAS BEEN. AH CAN'T
CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE AND SHE
FEELS LIKE THE PROBLEMS JUST
KEEP PILING ON. IT'S MUCH OF THE
REST OF THIS. SEVEN. OKAY SO
WITH THAT, BECAUSE WE ARE OVER,
WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
PANEL. SO I WANT TO THANK OUR
PANEL. UM REALLY APPRECIATE
Y'ALL MAKING THE TIME WE ARE
OVER TIME. AND SO WE HAVE TO
MOVE ON TO THE LAST PANEL. SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THAT
WILL, UH WE WILL MOVE TO OUR
FINAL PANEL, WHICH INCLUDES, UM
NORM GROOT, WHO'S EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE MONTEREY COUNTY
FARM BUREAU, WHO WILL BE JOINING
US VIA WEBEX AND THE NEXT AND
THEN THE FINAL IS, UM PROFESSOR
NICHOLAS PINTER, ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR, U C. DAVIS CENTER FOR
WATERSHED SCIENCES, WHO I
BELIEVE IS HERE IN PERSON. AND
SO, UM WE WILL CONNECT VIA WEBEX
TO, UM, NORM GROUP NORM. THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US. AND WHEN YOU
ARE READY, IT IS ALL YOURS. GOOD
AFTERNOON. CAN I DO AN AUDIO
CHECK? CAN YOU HEAR ME? OK, WE
CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE NORM.
GREAT THANK YOU. THANKS TO CHAIR
REVIS AND CHAIR RODRIGUEZ AND
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IT'S AN
HONOR TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS
AFTERNOON. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT
BEING THERE IN PERSON. UM
CIRCUMSTANCES KEPT ME IN
MONTEREY COUNTY TODAY AGAIN. MY
NAME IS NORM GROOT, AND I'M, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MONTEREY
COUNTY FARM BUREAU. FOUNDED IN
1917. WE SUPPORT FARMERS,
RANCHERS, VINEYARDS, PACKERS AND
SHIPPERS IN OUR COUNTY THAT
PRODUCED OVER 4.1 BILLION WITH A
B. FRESH PRODUCE PRODUCTS EVERY
YEAR. WE ARE A MEMBERSHIP DRIVEN
ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING OVER
400 AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS AND
SUPPORT COMPANIES THAT GROW
HARVEST AND SHIP OVER 150
DIFFERENT COMMODITIES. SALINAS
VALLEY. THE SALAD BOWL OF THE
WORLD IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF
INTENSE AGRICULTURE. I SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY RELATIVE TO THE
IMPACTS OF FLOOD EVENTS HERE IN
MONTEREY COUNTY. WE ARE ALL
AWARE OF THE LEVEE BREAK THAT
INUNDATED THE TOWN APART ROW AND
THE SURROUNDING FIELDS IN MARCH.
THIS IS A DEVASTATING HUMAN
TRAGEDY, NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO
LIVE IN THE TOWN OF POT ROAD,
BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO FARM IN
THE SURROUNDING FIELDS. HONORARY
COUNTY ALSO SAW SIGNIFICANT
FLOODING ALONG OUR SALINAS RIVER
CHANNEL IN BOTH JANUARY AND
MARCH. WE EXPERIENCED RIVER
FLOWS OF NEARLY 30,000 CUBIC
FEET PER SECOND DURING THE MARCH
STORMS, WHICH INCLUDED RELEASES
FROM OUR RESERVOIRS SO THAT THE
STORAGE CAPACITY COULD BE
MANAGED WITHOUT OVERTOPPING.
THOSE TWO DAMS LEVEES FAILED OR
WERE OVERTOPPED. CAUSING
FARMLAND TOPSOIL TO BE WASHED
AWAY IN SOME AREAS WELL, OTHER
AREAS HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEPOSITS
OF SILT COVERED FIELDS TO ADAPT
UP TO A FOOT. FARM EQUIPMENT
SUCH AS WELL HEAD PUMPS WENT
UNDERWATER, ALONG WITH
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS PLANTED CROPS
LIKE STRAWBERRIES, LEAFY GREENS
AND VEGETABLES ARE TOTAL LOSSES
DUE TO THE FLOODING AND FOOD
SAFETY CONCERNS. WE'RE
ESTIMATING THAT FLOOD IMPACTS IN
OUR COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
OPERATIONS. GOOD REACH 1 BILLION
AND ABOUT 20,000 ACRES IMPACTED
FOR THOSE THREE MONTHS OF THE
STORM OF VILLAINS. WHAT HAPPENED
ON THE PAHO RIVER IS A DIRECT
FAILURE OF DIFFERED LEVEE REPAIR
AND MAINTENANCE DESPITE AN
APPROVED PROJECT DECADES AGO.
THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY
REMOVING REGULATORY AND FUNDING
BARRIERS TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC
SAFETY IS A PRIORITY. WHAT IS
QUITE CLEAR ON THE SALINAS RIVER
IS THE DIMINISHED CAPACITY OF
THE RIVER CHANNEL TO MANAGE
PRECIPITATION FLOWS EVEN UNDER A
10 YEAR FLOOD EVENT LEVEL LIKE
WHAT WE SAW THIS YEAR. AS A
COMPARISON, THE EPIC FLOODS OF
1995 WERE CAUSED BY RIVER FLOW
OF 90,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
, THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF
RIVER FLOW DURING THE 2023
EVENTS. YET WE EXPERIENCE
SIMILAR FLOODING PATTERNS TO
1995. THIS REALIZATION OF
REDUCED BLOW CAPACITY LEADS TO
THE DISCUSSION OF RIVER CHANNEL
MAINTENANCE FOR FLOOD CONTROL
PROTECTIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS. THE PAST TWO DECADES
HAVE SEEN REDUCED CHANNEL
MAINTENANCE EFFORTS DUE TO
RESTRICTIVE PERMITS FROM
MULTIPLE STATE AND FEDERAL
AGENCIES, EXCESSIVE COSTS TO
LANDOWNERS AND FARM OPERATORS
FOR THOSE PERMITS. AND LACK OF
IMPROVEMENTS TO LEVEE SYSTEM
THAT IS MANY DECADES BEYOND ITS
USEFUL LIFE. EXCESSIVE
VEGETATION GROWTH, MUCH OF IT
NON NATIVE ALONG THE WITH
SEDIMENT AND SAND BAR BUILD UP
CAUSED THE SALINAS RIVER
CHANNELS DECREASED FLOW CAPACITY
. WELL MULTIPLE AGENCIES AGREE
THAT MANAGEMENT OF NON NATIVE
VEGETATION IS DESIRABLE. THE
REALITY IS THAT PERMITS ARE SO
RESTRICTIVE AND EXPENSIVE TO
MANAGE. THE FEW LANDOWNERS AND
FARM OPERATORS ARE WILLING TO
TAKE ON THE TASK OF MANAGING THE
RIVERBED THAT THEY PRIVATELY
OWNED SALINAS RIVER IS A
PRIVATELY OWNED, REVEREND. YES
THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MANAGE
THEIR OWN PROPERTY FOR A FLOOD
CONTROL PROTECTION WITHOUT
PERMITS OR UNDER THE THREAT OF
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. WELL THE
INTENT TO PROTECT THE
ENVIRONMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
ALL SUPPORT AND IN REALITY, THAT
ENVIRONMENT IS CURRENTLY HIGHLY
MODIFIED FROM ITS NATURAL OR
ORIGINAL CONDITION. THIS IS
CLEARLY A CASE OF WE TOLD YOU
SO. LANDOWNERS AND FARM
OPERATORS ALONG THE SILLINESS.
RIVER HAS STATED NUMEROUS TIMES
IN THE PAST DECADES THAT RIVER
CHANNEL FLOW CAPACITY IS NOT
BEING MANAGED TO PROTECT BOTH
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND
ADJACENT LAND BUILDINGS AND
EQUIPMENT. HAVING MULTIPLE
AGENCIES WITH DIFFERING
OBJECTIVES ON A PRIVATELY OWNED
RIVER CHANNEL CAUSES IMMENSE
COMPLEXITIES IN BOTH PERMITTING
AND LIABILITY ISSUES. WE NEED
HELP, AND WE NEED A PRIOR TO THE
NEXT ATMOSPHERIC RIVER SEQUENCE
THAT CHALLENGES THE PROTECTIONS
OF OUR VALUABLE FARMLAND. WE
HAVE ASKED ALL AGENCIES WITH
JURISDICTIONS OVER THE SLANTS
RIVER TO COME TOGETHER TO ALLOW
FOR SIGNIFICANT WORK IN THE
CHANNEL, AND THAT'S SEVEN
DIFFERENT AGENCIES. TO REMOVE
EXCESS VEGETATION THAT IS
CREATING DENSELY PACKED DAMS,
INHIBITING FISH PASSAGE AND TO
MANAGE THE SEDIMENT IN THE LOW
FLOW CHANNEL TO ALLOW FOR
CONTINUED WORK IN MULTIPLE YEARS
WITHOUT RE EVALUATION EVERY FIVE
YEARS THROUGH NEW AND EXPENSIVE
STUDIES OF THE RIVER
ENVIRONMENT. AS WAS STATED BY
ONE OF THE AGENCIES TO ME
DIRECTLY, THE RIVER WILL FLOOD
BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS
AN EXCUSE TO NOT PROVIDE
REASONABLE FLOOD CONTROL
PROTECTIONS THAT ALSO ENHANCES
THE RIVER CHANNEL ENVIRONMENT
ITSELF. MANY ARE ASKING IF FLOOD
DAMAGE TO VALUABLE FARM FIELDS
IS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS
PREFERRED TO A NEGATIVE IMPACTED
RIVER HABITAT. WE ARE DAMAGING
OUR ECONOMY AND CREATING
MULTIPLE DISASTER DECLARATIONS
THAT REQUIRE HUGE EXPENDITURES
OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO MANAGE. OUR
AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY KNOWS
WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE JUST NEED
THE APPROVALS TO DO THE WORK.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT DESTROYING THE
RIVER CHANNEL WITH BULLDOZERS,
BUT MORE ABOUT ENHANCING FLOOD
CONTROL PROTECTIONS WHILE
IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFITS THAT SUPPORTS FISH
PASSAGE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
LANDOWNERS AND FARM OPERATORS
ARE WILLING TO DO THIS WORK.
THEY JUST NEED TO BE ALLOWED TO
DO SO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE THE
INVITATION TO PRESENT OUR FLOOD
IMPACTS. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS. TIME PERMITTING.
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU. NORM.
ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR OFFERING
THAT TESTIMONY AND OUR FINAL
PANELISTS TODAY IS PROFESSOR
NICHOLAS PINTER, U C. DAVIS
CENTER FOR WATERSHED SCIENCES.
SO, PROFESSOR WELCOME. THANK YOU
TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THIS
CONVERSATION THANKS TO THE
COMMITTEE OR WHAT'S LEFT OF IT
AT THIS POINT. I WAS ASKED TO
CONTRIBUTE SOME BROADER
PERSPECTIVES ON FLOODING THAT
OCCURRED IN CALIFORNIA THIS
WINTER. UM AND TO CONTRIBUTE
THEM, EVEN IF THEY WERE IN SOME
CASES UNCOMFORTABLE, SO DON'T
GET ANGRY AT ME. THOSE ARE MY
GUIDELINES. SO UH, IN REPORTER
INQUIRIES AND INTERVIEWS
STARTING LAST DECEMBER, I'VE
BEEN ASKED REPEATEDLY WHETHER
THIS YEAR WAS THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO FOR FLOODING IN
CALIFORNIA. AND THE SOBERING
ANSWER IS NO, IT WAS NOT.
NONETHELESS THERE WAS A BROAD
RANGE OF LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS, INCLUDING PARTICULAR
ALONG THE MARA RIVER AND TULARE
LAKE, WHICH THE COMMITTEE HAS
HEARD A LOT ABOUT ALREADY TODAY.
SO AS THE COMMITTEE HAS HEARD
LEVIES ON THE POWER RIVER IN
MONTEREY AND SENATOR CRUZ
COUNTY'S BROKEN MARCH. UM YOU
SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE PAJARO
REGIONAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT AGENCY
HAS PROJECT PLANS WELL DEVELOPED
AND ALREADY ON THE SHELF. FOR
ENHANCING LEVEES ALONG THE
RIVER, INCLUDING LEVY SETBACKS
THAT WOULD ALSO PROMOTE AQUIFER
RECHARGE ALONG WITH ENHANCED
FLOOD CONTROL. SO PROJECT STAFF.
HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE
SPECIFIC REQUESTS FROM THE STATE
TO EXPEDITE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FUTURE, INCLUDING
EXECUTION OF A SUB MENTIONS
AGREEMENT AND EXPEDITED
ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS.
FRANKLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S
OBJECTIONS. AGREEMENT IS, BUT
I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU IF
YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THESE ISSUES
ALREADY. OTHER AGRICULTURAL
STAKEHOLDERS THAT I REACHED OUT
TO ECHOED THE GOAL OF UPGRADING
THE PEROT LEVEES AND OTHERS ON A
STATEWIDE BASIS AND EXPRESSED
SIMILAR CONCERNS ABOUT LONG TERM
MAINTENANCE OF THE LEVEES
THEMSELVES AND OF THE CHANNEL.
AS YOU JUST HEARD. OVERALL THE
2022 2023 WINTER WAS NOTEWORTHY
MOSTLY FOR THE DURATION OF RAIN
AND SNOW. AT TIMES IT FELT LIKE
A 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS KIND OF
SITUATION IF YOU RECALL UM UH,
BEYOND TRADITIONAL FLOODPLAINS,
FLOODING WAS CONCENTRATED IN LOW
SPOTS IN THE TOPOGRAPHY LIKE TWO
LARI LAKE, THE TILLERY BASIN.
AGAIN AS THE COMMITTEE KNOWS.
GALLERY LAKE IS A NATURAL
SEASONAL LAKE BASIN, BASICALLY A
BATHTUB WITH NO DRAIN. THE LARGE
LAKE THAT EXISTS IN THE 19TH
CENTURY WAS DRAINED AND
PARTIALLY ENGINEERED TO MAKE WAY
FOR AGRICULTURE ON THAT LAND.
THAT SYSTEM WAS NOT ORIGINALLY
INTENDED TO PROVIDE COMPLETE
PROTECTION AGAINST FLOODING AND
JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE
THAT THE BASIN REPEATEDLY
REFILLED DURING WET WINTERS,
INCLUDING 1938 55, 69, 83, 1997
, AND NOW, 2023. SO NOT
DISSIMILAR LEE. I'VE WORKED FOR
MANY YEARS. WITH MIDWESTERN US
LANDOWNERS WHO FORMED THE SO
CALLED BOTTOMS OF THE
FLOODPLAINS, THE MISSISSIPPI AND
OTHER RIVERS THAT IS OUTSIDE OF
THE MAIN STEM LEVIES. THEY
RECOGNIZE THE TRADE OFFS
INHERENT TO THEIR LAND HIGH
YIELDS DURING PERHAPS NINE OUT
OF 10 AVERAGE YEARS COME WITH
THE OCCASIONAL BIG WATER A YEAR
WHEN THEY CANNOT GET A CROP IN
THE GROUND. THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER
PIVOTED TOWARDS WILDFIRE HAZARD
AND I WAS GOING TO PIVOT TOWARDS
DROUGHT AND TALK ABOUT LONG TERM
CALIFORNIA WATER RESOURCES. UM
REPORT HAS BEEN ASKING ME ALL
WINTER. IF THE RAIN AND SNOW
THIS YEAR MEANT THAT
CALIFORNIA'S DROUGHT WAS OVER
ONCE AND FOR ALL. UM, NO,
OBVIOUSLY, AND MAYBE WE'LL JUST
SKIP ALL THAT, UM INCLUDING I
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE
COLORADO RIVER, UM, BASED ON
HEADLINES IN ALL THE NEWSPAPERS
YESTERDAY. VERY INTERESTING
STUFF. ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU'D
LIKE AT THE END. SO I'LL JUST
MOVE QUICKLY TOWARDS
RECOMMENDATIONS TO GET US OUT OF
HERE ON A TIMELY BASIS. YOU'RE
WELCOME. IN THE WAKE OF 2022 20
THREE'S VERY WET WINTER. I
SUGGESTED THE COMMITTEE THERE
ARE AT LEAST SO I'LL GIVE YOU
THREE. BUT THERE ARE AT LEAST
THREE ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS. IN
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS LIKE BORROW
AND TULARE LAKE AND ELSEWHERE.
SUPPORT LOCAL AND STATE
OFFICIALS AND FACILITATING
ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS,
SOME OF WHOM YOU MET THIS
AFTERNOON AND GROWERS RESEARCH
IN MY LAB AT UC DAVIS SHOWS THAT
CALIFORNIA AS A WHOLE AS A STATE
AND ITS RURAL COUNTIES AND
COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR, HAVE
HISTORICALLY RECEIVED
DISPROPORTIONATELY LOW POST
FLOOD FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. WE
BELIEVE BECAUSE OF SHORTFALLS OF
MANPOWER AND EXPERTISE IN THOSE
RURAL AREAS. AGAIN. ASKED ABOUT
DETAILS IF YOU'D LIKE. SECOND
RECOMMENDATION. IN FARO TWO
UNTIL LARRY LAKE AS WELL AS
STATEWIDE CALIFORNIA NEEDS TO
BUILD BACK BETTER. WHEREVER
POSSIBLE. THESE KINDS OF
SOLUTIONS ARE TYPICALLY MORE
COSTLY AND SLOWER THAN SIMPLY
REBUILDING IN PLACE. BUT FLOOD
DISASTERS PROVIDE WINDOWS OF
OPPORTUNITY. TO RECOVER STRONGER
THAN BEFORE AND PREVENT THE NEXT
FLOOD DISASTER BEFORE IT CAN
OCCUR. CALIFORNIA HAS A NUMBER
OF SUCH OPTIONS ON ITS PLATE
RIGHT NOW, BUT THOSE WINDOWS OF
OPPORTUNITY ARE ALREADY
BEGINNING TO CLOSE. FOR EXAMPLE
, RATHER THAN SIMPLY REBUILDING
THE PEROT LEVEES, REBUILD THEM
STRONGER AND SETBACK. SEVERELY
FLOODED COMMUNITIES. THE TWO
LARRY BASIN CAN LOOK TO OTHER
SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF SO CALLED
MANAGED RETREAT. SUCCESSFULLY
IMPLEMENTED ELSEWHERE IN THE US,
WHERE SIMILAR COMMUNITIES HAVE
DECIDED TO REBUILD OUT OF THE
REACH OF FUTURE FLOODING.
FINALLY, NUMBER THREE. RECOGNIZE
THAT THE ONE CONSTANT CALIFORNIA
HYDROLOGY IS HOW MUCH AND HOW
QUICKLY OUR WATER CONDITIONS
CHANGE. WHAT YEARS ARE FOLLOWED
BY EXTREMELY DRY YEARS AND
USUALLY MORE THAN ONE WHEN WE
COUNT ON EVERY DROP OF SURFACE
AND GROUNDWATER AND EVERY ACRE
OF POTENTIALLY ARABLE LAND, WE
CREATE BRITTLE SYSTEMS. WE'RE
ORDINARY ANNUAL VARIABILITY
TURNS INTO DISASTROUS
CONSEQUENCES. QUICK ENOUGH.
THANK YOU. PROFESSOR. WE REALLY
APPRECIATE. UH TESTIMONY. YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS.
WAS THERE, UM, HANDOUT OR SOME
INFORMATION THAT COULD BE YEAH,
WE WOULD WELCOME THAT THAT WOULD
BE HELPFUL WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL. ONE QUESTION TO YOU,
WHICH I WISH I COULD HAVE HAD
CHANCE TO ASK OTHERS, BUT, UM
THERE IS THIS TALK OF, UM
URGENCY, PARTICULARLY ON MOVING
FORWARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS RELATED TO ALL ITEMS
AND FLOODING. ALSO INCLUDED, UM
ARE THERE ANY IN PARTICULAR? I
HEARD YOU MENTION THE LEVEES
THAT TOMORROW IS POTENTIALLY ONE
OF THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS. UM
ANY OTHERS ARE JUST STAND OUT AS
SORT OF IMMEDIATE NEED TO GET IN
THERE AND DO SOMETHING AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO YOU
HEARD ME PEAK TO SPEAK TO THE
PAROLE LEVIES BECAUSE I'M
ENGAGED IN THAT PROJECT. IT IS
EXACTLY I THINK WHAT YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR A SHOVEL READY
PROJECT WITH BLUEPRINTS ON THE
SHELF TO IMPLEMENT BIGGER,
BETTER LEVEES UNDERGONE
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. I DOUBT
IT. I'VE HEARD THE SAME INPUT.
YES. THANK YOU AND SO REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE TIME
AND BEING HERE WITH US THIS
AFTERNOON. UM AND SO AT THIS
TIME, WE WILL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT OR VICTOR. IN THE ROOM,
OKAY? ANYONE IN THE ROOM WANTED
TO OFFER ANY COMMENTS. SEE NONE
. UH WE I WANT TO THANK ALL THE
PANELISTS FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION THIS AFTERNOON.
WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES WHO
MADE THE TIME TO BE HERE WITH
US. AND SO WITH THAT ONE, YOU
KNOW AGAIN WANT TO THANK, UM
BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE
COMMITTEE. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
, UH, FOR THEIR TIME THEY SPENT
TO PREPARE THIS HEARING AND WE
STAND ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. I'M
ALWAYS HERE FOR A MOMENT.