Action Requested: Call your local legislative offices, opposing the proposed wildfire liability claims that limit public agency recovery from public utility caused wildfires.
This Proposal Will Undermine Community Rebuilding Efforts and
Wrongly Shift Costs to Wildfire Victims and Local Agencies
The Governor’s Office is proposing a last-minute, gut-and-amend package negotiated behind-closed-doors on wildfire liability reforms limiting public agency recovery when private electric utilities cause wildfires. While we recognize the Governor’s efforts to consider ratepayers, the proposal will ultimately have devastating consequences for public agencies and wildfire victims already struggling to rebuild their communities. The proposal relies on the false hopes that public property, infrastructure and emergency response costs can be recovered from FEMA or insurance. Limiting public agency recovery will only shift costs to taxpayers and leave public agencies financially stranded – or even worse, bankrupt.
List of Proposed Changes
- Limits liability on destroyed public infrastructure & facilities to the current, depreciated value
- Puts financial stress on local fire protection by encouraging lengthy FEMA reimbursements
- Outlaws public agencies from filing claims for financial restitution from lost property taxes
Not only are these proposed changes short-sighted and harmful, but they are inefficient. Public agency claims only account for less than 4% of total wildfire claims.
Our organizations strongly oppose the following reforms and urge the Legislature to reject them outright from being included in any wildfire package that will advance this legislative session.
How You Can Help
- Fill in the form on the right side of the screen, and find your local legislator. Click the phone icon to receive the office number.
- Using the included script, speak about how the proposed changes would affect your district.
- Encourage other local public agencies, not just fire protection, to submit their own comments as well