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Marin Supervisors Ratify Storm Emergency to Seek Disaster Aid

A preliminary damage estimate of about $3.5 million will be refined with a countywide assessment in 60 days.

Overview

  • The declaration preserves eligibility to request assistance from Cal OES and FEMA, with the California Disaster Assistance Act as a fallback if federal aid is denied.
  • Officials reported about $3.5 million in damage in unincorporated areas, including roughly $2.6 million to Santa Venetia levees, $300,000 to roads and bridges, $420,000 to parks, and $96,000 for debris removal and emergency response.
  • The county’s tally excludes state assets such as Caltrans and CHP facilities, which are not counted toward the local disaster declaration.
  • Marin is reviewing storm forecasting and public alerts after king tides, heavy rain and wind drove flooding, and a separate outage that disrupted 911 service was traced to flooding at an AT&T facility in San Rafael.
  • Advocates criticized the county for not opening its severe-weather emergency shelter during the storm, citing strict activation criteria and a dedicated operating budget.