Acting Gov. Abel Maldonado Proclaims State of Emergency for Three Additional California Counties Due to Weather
Acting Governor Abel Maldonado today proclaimed a state of emergency for Kings, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties due to extreme weather and storm conditions.

The full text of the proclamation is below:

A PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS on December 18, 2010, a series of severe winter storms began in California, bringing high winds and significant amounts of precipitation; and

WHEREAS on December 21, 2010, a state of emergency was proclaimed due to the impact of these storms in Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare Counties; and

WHEREAS these storms and their effects continue to threaten the state; and

WHEREAS these severe storms are causing harm to people and property, flooding homes and infrastructure, damaging public and private facilities, closing roads and highways, and requiring emergency response and debris clean-up; and

WHEREAS flood conditions caused by these storms have necessitated the evacuation of residents and the opening of emergency shelters; and

WHEREAS on December 21, 2010, the City of Guadalupe, within the County of Santa Barbara, ratified its proclamation of local emergency; and

WHEREAS on December 22, 2010, Kings County declared a local emergency and requested that I proclaim a state of emergency for the county; and

WHEREAS on December 22, 2010, Los Angeles County declared a local emergency and requested that I proclaim a state of emergency for the county; and

WHEREAS the circumstances of these winter storms, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of any single county, city and county, or city and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to combat; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the winter storms in California.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ABEL MALDONADO, Acting Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the state Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, section 8625 of the California Government Code, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist within the counties of Kings, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that all agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) and the State Emergency Plan, and that Cal EMA provide local government assistance under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act.

I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 23rd day of December 2010.

ABEL MALDONADO

Acting Governor of California

ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State