By Tom McClintock, November 20, 2021 7:50 am
Rep. Tom McClintock sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling upon him to fulfill the promise he made to assist the victims of the Caldor Fire when he visited the scene on September 13, 2021.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has denied Governor Newsom’s appeal for Individual Assistance for victims of the Caldor Fire. The Caldor Fire is the 15th largest and 16th most destructive fire in the history of California. Nearly 800 homes were destroyed when the fire tragically wiped out the Gold Rush-era town of Grizzly Flats.
Excerpt from the Congressman’s letter to President Biden:
“When officials from El Dorado County and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) apprised you of the need to assist these displaced families, you said, ‘we’re going to take care of them…there’s a lot that we can do, and it starts off being a federal responsibility, in my view.’”
“To fulfill this pledge, it is imperative that you reverse the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of the Governor’s appeal for Individual Assistance for the victims of the Caldor Fire. As I noted in my letters to you of September 17th and November 4th, the denial of Individual Assistance, if allowed to stand, will have devastating consequences on survivors whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed.”
“The FEMA denial is a stunning double standard when viewed next to assistance granted in other fires of far less impact. For example, Cal OES identified nine other Individual Assistance approvals in 2021, which cumulatively had fewer homes destroyed than those destroyed by the Caldor Fire alone.”
“Last year, when FEMA denied the Governor’s request for Individual Assistance for the Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera Counties, President Trump immediately reversed the decision and granted Individual Assistance.”
“You made a promise to the victims of the Caldor Fire, and now is the time to fulfill it by taking the same action.”
Rep. McClintock’s Letter:
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