San Andreas, CA…The community is invited to join the Calaveras County Water District in the development of an update to its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). Public input is a critical component of a successful and comprehensive update. The purpose of the plan is to protect people and properties from the effects of hazards by developing mitigation strategies to reduce or eliminate long-term risk.

What: CCWD Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Meeting
When: 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday January 18
Where: CCWD Board Room, 120 Toma Court, San Andreas
Who: Open to the public

What is a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan?
Hazard mitigation means any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural or manmade hazards. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires local governments to have a hazard mitigation plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be eligible for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding programs. Mitigation planning is the process through which the District assesses hazards that threaten communities, sets mitigation goals and identifies, prioritizes and implements strategies to reduce impacts.

Why is Hazard Mitigation Planning Important?
Nationwide, the federal government provides billions of dollars of taxpayer funds each year to help communities, districts, organizations, businesses and individuals recover from disasters (wildfire, flooding, hurricanes, etc.). Some natural disasters are predictable and, in many cases, much of the damage can be reduced or even eliminated through proactive mitigation efforts. FEMA has targeted natural disaster loss reduction as one of its primary goals. In many cases $1 spent in prevention can lead to $4 saved in post-disaster response. Development of a LHMP enables local jurisdictions like CCWD to evaluate their risks and vulnerabilities to natural hazards and to identify mitigation strategies to reduce hazard-related losses and to make their jurisdiction more disaster resistant.

How Can the Public be Involved?
Participation in the LHMP Update process from the public and interested stakeholders is both welcomed and encouraged. Comments and ideas will be received at the January 18 meeting and at future LHMP meetings that will be announced at www.ccwd.org and through local media outlets.

Existing Plan
To review the District’s existing LHMP, which was last updated in 2012, go to http://ccwd.org/about-ccwd/publications/hazard-mitigation-plan/.

CCWD Contact
Stay updated on this process by visiting www.ccwd.org or like the District on Facebook at www.facebook.com/calaveraswaterdistrict.

Those with questions about the LHMP update may contact Joel Metzger, Manager of External Affairs, at joelm@ccwd.org, (209) 754-3123 (desk) or (209) 768-6270 (mobile).