Agenda Item AGENDA STAFF REPORT ASR Control 21-001148
MEETING DATE:	02/08/22
legal entity taking action:	Board of Supervisors
board of supervisors district(s):	All Districts
SUBMITTING Agency/Department:	OC Public Works (Approved)
Department contact person(s):	Edward Frondoso (714) 245-4596
	Trevor Richardson (714) 955-0234

Subject: Approve County of Orange Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan

ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

Concur

Approved Resolution to Form

Consent Calendar

3 Votes Board Majority

Budgeted: N/A

Current Year Cost: N/A

Annual Cost: N/A

Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:

Sole Source: N/A

Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

Funding Source: N/A

County Audit in last 3 years: No

Prior Board Action: N/A

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

1.	Find that the subject project is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15269 of the CEQA Guidelines.
2.	Adopt a Resolution to approve the County of Orange Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan and authorize distribution of the plans to County of Orange department heads.

SUMMARY:

Adoption of the County of Orange Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan provides policy, process and procedures that assist responders in the protecting residents, critical facilities infrastructure, private property and the environment from debris following a major event in the unincorporated areas of the County of Orange and on County-owned facilities, and also supports the process required to ensure the County of Orange’s continued eligibility for disaster relief funds from the federal and state government.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Generating over 100 million cubic yards of debris, Hurricane Katrina taught that a systematic approach to debris management is critical to efficient response and recovery efforts during a disastrous event. Debris management averages 45 percent of the total cost of any given disaster. Since 2003, disaster debris costs in California have totaled approximately $228.6 million and following the catastrophic Camp Fire in 2018, this amount is in the billions. Debris management plans enable communities to be better prepared to address disaster-related debris in a time-efficient manner, expediting the recovery process.

The County of Orange (County) began the debris planning process by establishing a diverse debris planning team. The planning team included representatives from OC Public Works, other County departments and representative agencies.

This County of Orange Unincorporated Areas Disaster Debris Management Plan (Plan) creates a Debris Management Program focusing on the required core components of the Plan based on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines, including:

a.	Creating a debris management strategy
b.	Establishing prioritization for County debris collection and removal operations
c.	Outlining the private property debris removal policies and procedures
d.	Outlining coordination efforts between federal, state, local and private agencies
e.	Optimizing limited resources
f.	Establishing an environmentally friendly approach
g.	Providing technical assistance regarding regulations, guidelines and policies
h.	Serving as a foundation document for training

On December 26, 2019, the California Office of Emergency Services approved the plan. At this time, FEMA has ceased approving local debris management plans, but this may change in the future.

OC Public Works, in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Emergency Management Division, on behalf of the County of Orange Emergency Management Council recommends Board of Supervisors approval to adopt the Plan.

Compliance with CEQA: The subject activity is statutorily exempt from review under CEQA pursuant to Section 15269, a through c of the CEQA Guidelines as an emergency project because it focuses on emergency response planning by prioritizing access to critical infrastructure that may be inundated with debris following a catastrophic event.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

N/A

STAFFING IMPACT:

N/A

ATTACHMENT(S):

Attachment A - County of Orange Debris Management Plan
Attachment B - California Office of Emergency Services Approval Letter
Attachment C - Resolution