At its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 22nd, the Placer County Board of Supervisors announced that, after a 45-day public comment period, it intends to approve seven projects obligating a total of more than $105,000 in Federal funds. However, before it can officially approve the projects, the Board is legally required to solicit input from the general population.
All of the funding was allocated to Placer County under Title III of the Fiscal Year 2000 Public Law (PL) 106-393, the Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Act (HR2389), and the remainder was reauthorized under PL 110-343 aka the “Stimulus Act” in 2009.
After review by the Office of Emergency Services and members of the Placer County Fire Safe Alliance, an organization comprising representatives of the Foresthill, Greater Auburn Area, Placer-Sierra and Rural Lincoln Fire Safe Councils, as well as by other local, state and federal agencies involved in land management and fire suppression, the funds were allocated as noted below.
The $4,719 unobligated PL 106-393 funds will be combined with previously approved funds and will be used to update the Placer County Biomass Master Plan.
Unobligated PL 110-343 funds ($100,972), by law, can only be allocated in three areas: (1) reimbursement for search and rescue operations on federal lands, (2) preparing community wildfire protection plans, or (3) for projects that support the Federal Firewise Communities Program. Therefore, the following projects are to be funded at the level indicated:
- Reimbursement for search and rescue on federal lands: $15,000
- Fire Mitigation Coordinator: $40,000
- Grant Writer $15,000
- Auburn Project Canyon Safe support $ 6,972
- Public Education initiatives $14,000
- Firewise Communities Coordinator $10,000
Details concerning all projects are available in letter, email or fax form upon request of the Office of Emergency Services at the address shown above.
Comments on the projects need to be in writing and should be mailed to the Placer County Office of Emergency Services at the address above. In order to be considered, comments must be post marked no later than July 6, 2012.
