County Office of Climate Resiliency Secures $649,350 Adaptation Planning Grant
Will Enhance Community Collaboration and Long-Term Planning Countywide
LAKE COUNTY, CA (June 14, 2023) — For Lake County’s residents and communities to thrive and for our local economy to flourish, climate resiliency and disaster mitigation must remain areas of priority. An unparalleled series of 18 disaster events since 2015 have shown the grit and determination of our communities, and brought tremendous community leaders to the fore.
Yet, we must all agree, reducing the likelihood of future events, minimizing the risk of the next wildfire or flood causing significant damage to life and property, is a co-equal priority, and needed complement, to efforts to recover from disasters faced in recent years.
The County of Lake Office of Climate Resiliency has secured $649,350 in Round 1 funding from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s (OPR’s) Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) to do just that. Funding will support the following areas of priority.
- Assessing vulnerabilities across Lake County and developing a Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP);
- Implementing specific actions identified in our Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP);
- Enhance Public Education and Awareness of Natural Hazards and Public Understanding of Disaster Preparedness,
- Countywide Evacuation Plan,
- Climate Adaptation Plan, and
- Fund administrative support for the Chief Climate Resiliency Officer and Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority (RRA), and support RRA partners’ engagement, tracking progress, and documenting outcomes; and
- Embedding values and actions promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the RRA’s leadership, membership, and processes.
“Getting Climate Adaptation and Countywide Evacuation Plans in place is essential to enhancing public safety and climate resiliency for all residents,” notes Terre Logsdon, Lake County’s Chief Climate Resiliency Officer. “To get these planning efforts right, we look forward to the participation of Municipal Advisory Councils, Town Halls and community groups countywide, and collaboration with other County agencies. The multifaceted support provided by this State funding will greatly accelerate ongoing community and County of Lake efforts.”
“The Lake County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is excited to partner with the Risk Reduction Authority in ensuring equitable risk mitigation for all Lake County residents,” affirms RCD President, Dr. Harry Lyons. “This means incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all we do to sustain our communities and environments.”
“We are truly excited the elements of this proposal have been recognized as matters of statewide priority,” emphasizes Jessica Pyska, Chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “As Vice Chair of the Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority, I am confident funding for administrative support of that group will be very well invested. The RRA has become a vital point of connection for co-management of the climate-related threats we face, and ensuring it is sustainably well staffed has been a major point of emphasis. This is a great step forward!”
Securing funding for critical community priorities like this was a central informant of the Board of Supervisors’ efforts to create a County Office of Climate Resiliency and secure an effective Chief Climate Resiliency Officer; this grant is just the beginning.
“On behalf of the Office of Climate Resiliency, I look forward to continuing to work with the County’s many partners to make our residents safer and communities stronger,” emphasizes Logsdon.
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Reminder: The 3rd “Honoring All Voices” Community Visioning Forum will be held Monday, June 26, at Clearlake City Hall, from 6-8:30pm. Input and experiences will be welcomed from all gathered, through questions such as the following:
- How do you define respect, fairness, and inclusion?
- What gets in the way of you and your family getting your needs met in Lake County?
- What history must be acknowledged to begin community healing?
- How do you think the county can improve to ensure healing and support so that all community members feel respected, included, and reach fair outcomes?
To ensure all attendees have opportunity to actively participate, advance registration is requested.
Zoom participation will also be available.
Event registration (Zoom and in-person), further information and resources, and printable Spanish and English Flyers, can be accessed at on the Lake Countywide Community Visioning Forum Planning Committee's webpage.
Thank you for taking time to contribute to this important community conversation!