Damage assessments identified $59.1 million in eligible reimbursements from FEMA and another $33.3 million in reimbursements through the Federal Highway Administration, according to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office.
The cost threshold for the FEMA designation is $43 million.
“This action by President Obama will get assistance where it’s needed most,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement. “It will also help reduce a significant portion of the financial burden the storms have placed on communities throughout California.”
Reps. David Dreier (R-Dan Dimas) and Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), backed by the La Cañada City Council, pushed for the federal disaster declaration for weeks.
“Last Thursday afternoon I had a very strong one-on-one conversation with the FEMA administrator, making the case that this is obviously not in any way a one-time event,” Dreier said. “This is an ongoing effort because every time we deal with rains we have evacuations.”
A wet winter has tested the stability of local hillsides and the local emergency response system. It has also taxed city and county coffers. Rain has triggered seven evacuations since December, and each event requires a unified response from Los Angeles County public works, fire and sheriff’s departments.
A debris flow Feb. 6 caused an estimated $1.5 million in property damage in the La Cañada Flintridge neighborhoods of Paradise Valley, Haskell Street/Harter Lane and Arroyo Summit Drive. The city and county have incurred millions more in protection and cleanup efforts.
The federal declaration comes six weeks after Schwarzenegger issued a similar state order, committing the California Emergency Management Agency to covering 75% of the city’s expenses not covered by the federal declaration.
“We are thrilled to have the FEMA declaration,” La Cañada Mayor Laura Olhasso said. “It will significantly decrease cleanup and infrastructure repair costs incurred by the city.”
Get in touch MEGAN O’NEIL covers La Cañada. She may be reached at (818) 495-7172 or by e-mail at megan.oneil@latimes.com.
