The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of California and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the potential failure of the emergency spillway at Lake Oroville Dam beginning on February 7, 2017, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate all disaster relief efforts, which aim to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures. These relief efforts are authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act to save lives, to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Butte, Sutter, and Yuba.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the effects of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Robert J. Fenton, Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Timothy J. Scranton as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV