Fire Cleanup, and Other News from Sen. Blakespear

Greetings!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t miss the chance to tell those you love how important they are to you today.

Even though we just endured a few days of intense rain‚ it’s important to remember that just last month the disastrous Los Angeles wildfires left a stunning swath of destruction. And now the immense cleanup operation has kicked into high gear. The state government has raced to provide the needed support for cities and counties to do the necessary cleanup work.

The California state Legislature passed‚ and the Governor signed‚ $2.5 billion in immediate relief. And the Senate has put together a package of 13 bills aimed at strengthening the state’s wildfire response and recovery to wildfires (see below for more on that).

But what’s really happening on the ground? The Los Angeles cleanup is the fastest large scale debris removal in modern state history.

Phase 1 of debris removal involves the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting with teams to collect hazardous and household materials from destroyed properties. Alongside the EPA‚ the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began private property debris removal on Tuesday of this week. It is the largest wildfire hazardous waste cleanup in the history of the EPA‚ with more than 1‚000 personnel involved at thousands of sites‚ according to the agency. They are racing to meet a Feb. 28 deadline to complete the work.

More than 9‚400 homes and business were destroyed by the Eaton Fire‚ which scorched 14‚117 acres and the community of Altadena. The Palisades Fire burned more than 6‚800 structures and 23‚707 acres in Pacific Palisades. Both fires began on Jan. 7 and were fully contained on Jan. 31.

Nearly two-thirds of EPA’s cleanup is expected to be completed this week‚ paving the way for the USACE to enter with bulldozers and heavy equipment to remove non-toxic debris from burned properties. It began doing that on Tuesday.

USACE is working with thousands of contractors and private firms to dispose of as much as 4.5 million tons of fire debris‚ more than 10 times as much as from the fire that devastated Maui in 2023.

The work of the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers is free to property owners. Once all debris is removed‚ rebuilding can begin. All of us are anxious for this to happen as soon as possible‚ as California bounces back from what is now considered likely to become the most costly natural disaster in U.S. history.

My heart goes out to all affected‚ and I am committed to providing whatever support I can for these efforts. In Sacramento‚ amid all that is going on‚ we have moved very quickly to allocate state funds‚ and focus on the enormous rebuilding task ahead.
 

WAYS YOU CAN HELP
 

City of Los Angeles: LA STRONG – Support Wildfire Relief Efforts

LA County: LA County Relief Fund

San Diego Magazine: How to San Diegans Can Support LA Fire Relieve Efforts.

 

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I joined with Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (at the podium) and a bipartisan coalition of Senators and firefighters at a press conference announcing our package of fire-related legislation.

The recent wildfires shocked all of us‚ and the speed at which they unfolded – and the destruction they delivered – left many of us breathless. This provoked a long list of questions and concerns from Californians about what happened‚ how cleanup and rebuilding would take place and how to prevent something like this from happening again.

As a state Senator‚ I take these questions very seriously. I am glad to report that I have joined with a broad coalition of fellow Senators to produce a package of 13 bills aimed at strengthening the state’s wildfire response and recovery‚ making communities safer from wildfire.

I am proud to be joint authoring one of these bills‚ a measure to expedite California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews‚ similar to streamlining reviews already established on major infrastructure projects. This cuts red tape and could reduce any CEQA review by months or years. This legislation applies the streamlining provisions both prospectively and retroactively.

In all‚ the Senate’s Golden State Commitment package expands the state’s response efforts‚ helps stabilize the state’s insurance market‚ expands protections for homeowners and renters and streamlines fire recovery‚ rebuilding and prevention efforts.

This legislation will also deliver desperately needed financial resources for school and community college districts that have been impacted by these destructive wildfires‚ or those supporting destroyed schools in neighboring communities. This package builds on record investments by the State in wildfire prevention and response over the last several decades.

The Golden State Commitment legislative package does the following:

Wildfire Recovery Measures:

• Speed-up residential rebuilds
• Provide property tax relief
• Protect consumers from price gouging
• Expand insurance protections for small businesses
• Expand protections for homeowners‚ tenants‚ and mobile home residents
• Support the rebuilding of health facilities
• Strengthen penalties against bad actors following disasters
• Provide desperately needed resources for impacted school districts

Fire Prevention and Response Measures:

• Transition all 3‚000 seasonal CAL FIRE firefighters to full-time‚ permanent status
• Establish an insurance community hardening commission that will ensure more fire-safe communities and homeowners get the financial credit they deserve
• Advance new policies that require fire-safe landscaping‚ setbacks‚ and inspections in high fire hazard zones

We are still learning what happened and what more we can do to prevent future fires. These bills are a good start‚ and I’m really proud of how we’re taking care of our Los Angeles communities. I will continue to work with lawmakers‚ including the Governor and the state Insurance Commissioner‚ to improve the state’s preparedness and responsiveness and to keep Californians safe.

 

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This state audit prompted me to introduce SB 329.

As the deadline approaches for introducing legislation this year‚ I have authored several new bills. Here is a summary.

• SB 329 would require timely investigations into complaints about alcohol or drug treatment facilities after a state audit revealed responses can presently take more than a year. Many residents of my district have reached out about the sober living homes in their neighborhoods. There is a particularly large concentration in Orange County. In fact‚ Orange County has more beds for small treatment facilities per 10‚000 residents than any other California county. While sober living homes provided a needed type of housing for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction‚ it’s important that when there are complaints that they are investigated in a timely way. Common complaints can include sexual misconduct‚ poor management of medications for residents‚ insufficient detoxification checks‚ using unlicensed counselors‚ failing to provide services advertised and other issues. Good government means acting quickly and decisively to protect the health and safety of the community. SB 329 ensures that the state will investigate complaints in a timely fashion. Read more here.

• SB 242 would protect access to health care for seniors. It would expand protections for seniors with pre-existing medical conditions‚ requiring that they be offered access to Medicare Supplement Insurance‚ known as Medigap‚ without discrimination regarding their age or health condition. Being able to access affordable health care is crucial for seniors who are often forced to live on fixed incomes or limited means. No senior should be shut out of Medigap for pre-existing medical conditions‚ forcing them to choose between basic necessities and needed health care. SB 242 eliminates this injustice. Read more here.

As I work to pass this legislation‚ I am looking to highlight stories of seniors who have been unable to get Medigap coverage. If you have a story to share‚ please contact me by emailing Senator.Blakespear@Senate.ca.gov

• SB 15 would clamp down on gun trafficking and ensure that gun dealers are following the rules designed to prevent criminal activity. We know California has tough gun safety laws‚ but the problem is ensuring that everyone is following them. Far too many guns make their way into the hands of criminals. SB 15 improves reporting and oversight to limit gun trafficking. Read more here.

 

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It was delightful to host more than 90 members from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce delegation for a photo on the Senate floor and then talk with them about my priorities for the state‚ and take their questions‚ about what’s happening in Sacramento and Washington‚ D.C. I know the business community is anxious about potential tariffs‚ changes in federal research funding and other big changes that may be coming from the federal government.

I’m committed to doing everything possible to support California’s economy and its businesses – and continuing to fuel the innovation and entrepreneurship that makes many of the state’s top industries‚ such as the life sciences‚ world leaders.

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With Chamber Interim President and CEO Jessica Anderson (on left) and Sharp HealthCare CEO & Chamber Board President Chris Howard (on right).

 

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Mobility 21 is a powerful organization focused on investing and enhancing the transportation infrastructure for the 21 million people who live in Southern California.

I was so happy (above) to speak to Mobility 21 leaders who visited Sacramento about the state’s investment in our roads‚ bridges and rail infrastructure in Southern California. It was encouraging to see so many leaders in the transportation space eager to work with the Legislature and discuss how we can improve the state’s transportation network.

 

The nation – and California – has a serious housing problem. The private market doesn’t create enough affordable housing‚ and government efforts to remedy this problem have fallen far short.

The Samuel Lawrence Foundation’s “First Fridays“ series‚ a regular podcast‚ focused on the housing crisis on Feb. 7. I joined other experts on the program to dissect the causes of the problem and what can‚ or should‚ be done.

Listen to this provocative discussion by clicking on the image above.

 

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American history is rich and diverse and fascinating‚ and Black history is woven throughout it. With Black History Month‚ we celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans‚ and we learn more about our shared history and the nation’s journey from slavery to a modern democracy that aims to celebrate diversity and overcome racism.

Be sure to take advantage of local events to enjoy and appreciate Black history.

San Diego Public Library Events

Black History Month Events at San Diego Museums

UC San Diego Black History Month Events

 

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Sen. Maria Elena Durazo takes a photo of women senators on the Senate floor honoring Wear Red Day. Left to right are: Sens. Shannon Grove‚ Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh‚ Suzetter Martinez Valladares‚ Melissa Hurtado‚ Durazo‚ Megan Dahle‚ myself‚ Sasha Renee Perez‚ Aisha Wahab and Angelique Ashby.

Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women? To bring awareness to this health threat‚ national Wear Red Day takes place on the first Friday of each February. Everyone across the country is encouraged to wear red to raise awareness about women’s heart health as part of American Heart Month.

The idea is to make more women aware of the dangers of heart disease and strokes‚ recognize their symptoms and take steps to stay healthy. Find out more from the American Heart Association.

 

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To celebrate Women’s History Month‚ I am recognizing remarkable women who live‚ work‚ or volunteer in Senate District 38 and have made outstanding contributions to our community. Go to the link below to nominate Women Who Inspire.

Nomination Criteria Considerations: We recognize women in a range of fields like those suggested below.

• Community Service & Leadership: Celebrating women who have made significant contributions through volunteer work or creating positive change.
• Professional Excellence: Honoring those who have demonstrated exceptional performance and contributions in their field.
• Education and Mentorship: Recognizing individuals committed to teaching‚ student growth‚ and engagement.
• Arts & Culture: Appreciating those who have enriched our community through creativity and artistic expression.
• STEM & Innovation: Celebrating advancements in science‚ technology‚ engineering‚ or math through work or leadership.
• Health & Human Services: Honoring dedication to the well-being of the community‚ improving lives through care and advocacy.
• Military Community: Recognizing outstanding support‚ leadership‚ and advocacy for service members‚ veterans‚ and their families.
• Youth Leadership: Applauding young leaders who have inspired change and demonstrated exceptional leadership.
• Sports: Celebrating athletes who have shown outstanding skill‚ commitment‚ and passion.
• Other: Feel free to describe any other remarkable achievements!

To nominate an inspiring woman‚ please complete the nomination form by Monday‚ February 24th.

All nominees will be invited to a reception in their honor at the end of March. The exact date and location will be announced to the nominees at a later date.

Thank you for your participation in recognizing the many women who make our community great!

Thank you for your support. I am honored to serve you.

In partnership,

 

To learn more about what I am doing, follow me on social media.

Email me at Senator.Blakespear@Senate.ca.gov

Call my Encinitas district office at (760) 642-0809

Call my Laguna Hills district office at (949) 598-5850

Call my Capitol office in Sacramento at (916) 651-4038