Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Undergrounding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor: federal funds and SCE program could accelerate undergrounding of Laguna Canyon lines
Summary
Mayor Alex Renaghi said Congressman Dave Min has included funds in a negotiated budget bill that could help underground utility lines in Laguna Canyon and fund a South Laguna fire station; the mayor emphasized wildfire risk and evacuation-route protection while the city studies relinquishment trade-offs.
Mayor Alex Renaghi said Congressman Dave Min has included money in a negotiated budget bill that could help underground utility lines in Laguna Canyon and provide funds for a South Laguna fire station, though he noted the congressional budget language had not been formally approved.
"My understanding is that he has money in the, the budget bill that has been negotiated. The question is whether the I don't think the congress has formally approved it," Renaghi said on the Fair Game Laguna podcast, adding his appreciation for the congressman's help.
Renaghi discussed a recent town hall on Laguna Canyon Road relinquishment and the trade-offs involved. He framed undergrounding as a public-safety priority: "We have 3 ways in and out of our town, and we know that above ground utility lines cause wildfires. We have evidence of that ... we don't want to be in a position where one of our three evacuation routes could potentially be blocked off because of an above-ground pull. So it's just we need to get those lines undergrounded." He also mentioned the Southern California Edison (SCE) targeted undergrounding program as a funding source the city could leverage.
The mayor said the city manager will provide more analysis on relinquishment and related options, with that analysis likely arriving in October. Renaghi emphasized that the issue requires "nuanced, fact based, debate and discussion" and that the city is exploring different ways to fund and implement the work.
Renaghi did not give final approval dates, cost estimates or an exact scope of the sections to be undergrounded on the podcast. He described available funds as contingent on congressional approval and program eligibility.
