Press Releases
September 22, 2020
(Red Bluff, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) committed to correcting the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) contracting issues in USFS Region 5. The USFS uses the VIPR system to contract for all firefighting resources not associated with a fire department including water tenders and other heavy equipment. For the 2020 fire season, Region 5 failed to meet its contracting goals meaning there were insufficient resources to call upon when the number of fires exploded. After Congressman LaMalfa and local contractors met with U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Jim Hubbard earlier this month to discuss contracting issues, direct action was taken by the Trump Administration to begin to correct the problem for firefighting contractors in California.
Issues:Forestry
September 21, 2020
(Chico, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a $3,441,268.50 grant to Butte County for an alternate project and to facilitate the deed transfer of the Honey Run Covered Bridge, per Board of Supervisors approval, to the Honey Run Covered Bridge Association (HRCBA). This deed transfer will allow HRCBA to use private funds to rebuild the bridge following its destruction in the 2018 Camp Fire.
Issues:Infrastructure
September 21, 2020
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after several cities and counties received grants through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JGA) Program. The funding can be used to support activities to prevent and control crime through law enforcement, drug prevention and education, community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and mental health programs.
September 17, 2020
Oroville, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa will host a fire information session with victims of the North Complex West Zone fire on Friday, September 18th, 2020 at 10:00 AM PST at the Oroville Municipal Auditorium. There will be limited space, and seating will be prioritized for fire victims. The state is requiring that this event comply with all COVID-19 requirements, including masks, social distancing, and temperature checks
September 17, 2020
(Butte County, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after the Butte Safe Fire Council reported that the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) had delayed fire mitigation projects in Berry Creek for eighteen months prior to the North Complex West Zone fire. In August 2018, the Council secured a $836,365 grant to create fuel breaks, reduce vegetation in the area, and clear fuels along evacuation routes but was never able to begin the process due to the lengthy CEQA delay.
Issues:Forestry
September 14, 2020
(McLellan Park, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after President Donald Trump, Governor Gavin Newsom, CAL FIRE officials, and other stakeholders hosted a roundtable to discuss the ongoing fires in Northern California, and honored The California National Guard for their brave efforts to save stranded citizens
Issues:Forestry
September 14, 2020
(Susanville, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation issued two grants, $600,000 for the Bureau of Land Management and $700,000 for the U.S. Forest Service, from the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program to repair or reconstruct Federal Lands Management Agencies transportation facilities that were damaged or destroyed during the Hog Fire in Lassen County.
Issues:Infrastructure
September 11, 2020
(Oroville, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after Governor Newsom toured the North Complex fires.
September 10, 2020
(Oroville, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after President Trump amended the federal Major Disaster Declaration for California to include Butte, Plumas, and Yuba Counties, making them eligible for direct federal funding for emergency protective measures as a result of the North Complex fires. Emergency protective measures are actions taken by an area before, during, and after a disaster to eliminate or reduce an immediate threat to life, public health or safety, or significant damage to public or private property. The Major Disaster Declaration went into effect on August 22, 2020 for several other California counties.
September 10, 2020
(Paradise, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced two grants totaling $76,989,729 to assist with Camp Fire recovery in Paradise. The first grant awards $48,272,229 to Paradise Irrigation District (PID) to repair damage to water mains, including contaminated pipes, and restore and update their infrastructure to current standards. The second grant awards $28,717,500 to the Town of Paradise to restore roads damaged during debris removal activities. As a result of debris removal, the roads have incurred permanent damage due to the frequent hauling of debris and transportation of heavy equipment.