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Shasta supervisors back AB 303, send letters to Trump and Newsom urging wildfire, insurance action
Summary
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Feb. 4 to support Assembly Bill 303 and to send letters to President Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for federal and state assistance on wildfire mitigation and the escalating homeowner insurance crisis.
Shasta County supervisors voted unanimously on Feb. 4 to endorse Assembly Bill 303 and to send letters asking President Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom for help on wildfire fuel reduction and the insurance crisis that has hit parts of California.
The endorsement followed a presentation from County Executive Officer Dave Rickert on AB 303, described in the staff report as a measure to "improve safety standards and restore local oversight for energy storage facilities" after recent battery-storage fires. Rickert told the board the bill would require greater local engagement in permitting and create environmental setbacks for sensitive sites such as schools and hospitals.
Why it matters: Supervisors said they hoped the dual letters would pressure federal and state officials to clear regulatory and funding obstacles—particularly for fuel-reduction work on federal lands—and to push for measures that could lower or stabilize homeowner insurance premiums after repeated wildfire seasons.
Board members cited local fuel-reduction work in support of the request. Reading text prepared by Chief O'Hara and read into the record by the chair noted that the Shasta-Trinity CAL FIRE unit ranked “number 2 in the state for treated acres” with 3,834.8 acres of broadcast burns and 3,432.3 acres of fuel-reduction work, a combined 7,267.1 treated acres across 36 projects. The prepared text also said the unit completed 5,063 inspections with 4,640 compliant.
Supervisor Matt Plummer moved a letter of support for AB 303; the motion passed 5-0. Later, after public comment and additional discussion about specific federal projects and funding gaps, the board voted 5-0 to accept two letters: one to President Trump and another to Gov. Newsom addressing wildfire risk, fuel-reduction funding and the insurance crisis.
Public comment included residents urging the board to be more specific in its asks. Margaret Hanson said she supported the letters and told the board, “I like the letter idea, so let's go for it.” Others urged the board to add concrete requests and to press for continuation of specific federal grants that fund community projects.
What the board directed next: Supervisors said they would bring back draft letters for final review and consider additional, more-specific asks—such as continuing funding for local home-hardening projects and streamlining NEPA/CEQA coordination—based on suggestions made in public comment and by individual supervisors.
Votes at a glance: The motions to (1) send a letter of support for AB 303 and (2) send letters to President Trump and Gov. Newsom were each adopted 5-0.
Context: Supervisors said the measures are intended as immediate, politically visible requests to spur action and to build momentum among other county boards in California for federal and state help on fuels work and insurance relief.
