Board backs county participation in research project on cumulative health impacts of cascading hazards

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 4 approved a letter of support for a research project that aims to study cumulative health impacts from cascading environmental hazards — including wildfire smoke, heat, flooding and evacuations — in rural communities. The board also approved the chief climate resiliency officer and tribal liaison serving on the project’s community advisory board.

Terry Logsdon, the county’s chief climate resiliency officer, said the county staff involvement would include about 12 hours a year over five years to review research questions, advise on community engagement and help integrate findings into county programs. The research team indicated they can budget up to $10,000 per year to compensate the county office for participation.

Why it matters: County officials said the research could produce data to document the cumulative physical and mental health effects of repeated climate and disaster exposures and help to identify resources and interventions for vulnerable residents.

Project structure and partners Project lead Quinn Conklin, who said she has personal connections to Lake County and wildfire impacts, told the board the work will build tools that link historical environmental‑hazards data to health outcomes and include a year at the end of the grant to train local responders and health workers.

Board action After brief discussion emphasizing the county’s history of repeated evacuations and smoke exposure, the board voted to approve the letter of support and to authorize Logsdon to serve on the project’s community advisory board. The motion included a minor amendment to acknowledge budgeted compensation to the county up to $10,000 per year.

Ending Staff said the project will proceed with advisory‑board participation and that findings will be shared with county public health and emergency response partners.