CC SR 20240903 SPC 01 - State of Emergency Amendment
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 09/03/2024
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to declare a Local State of Emergency based on a
sudden and severe energy shortage due to planned de-energization events.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive a report from Southern California Edison on the recent de -energization of
the Portuguese Bend Community Association and Seaview neighborhoods;
2. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-XX, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, TO AMEND
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-52, DECLARING THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL
EMERGENCY WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF THE
PORTUGUESE BEND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BASED ON A SUDDEN
AND SEVERE ENERGY SHORTAGE AND A PLANNED DEENERGIZATION
EVENT, AND TO EXPAND THE STATE OF EMERGENCY TO INCLUDE THE
SEAVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ON A PLANNED DEENERGIZING EVENT;
3. Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to CalOES and FEMA requesting individual
assistance for residents impacted by the accelerated movement in the Landslide
Complex; and,
4. Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to Governor Newsom requesting he declare a
state of emergency to deploy financial and in-kind public and individual assistance.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to receiving and filing updates, preparing
and sending letters to State and Federal Agencies, and adopting a resolution continuing
the local emergency declaration. Fiscal impacts associated with previous Council actions
to implement measures to reduce land movement were reported at the time of those
Council actions.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Elena Gerli, City Attorney
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Resolution No. 2024-XX Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency (Page A-
1)
B. City Letter to CalOES and FEMA (Page B-1)
C. City Letter to Governor Newsom (page C-1)
D. August 2, 2024 City Letter to Jill Anderson of Southern California Edison (Page
D-1)
E. July 31, 2024 Southern California Edison Letter to Residents (Page E-1)
BACKGROUND:
On August 6, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-52, declaring a state
of emergency due to a sudden and severe energy shortage resulting from Southern
California Gas Company’s (SoCalGas) gas shut-off in the Portuguese Bend Community
Association (PBCA). On September 1 and 2, Southern California Edison (SCE) shut off
power to approximately 140 homes in the PBCA and Seaview neighborhoods. The
Council is being asked to consider amending the August 6, 2024 State of Local
Emergency to include the de-energization events of September 1 and 2.
DISCUSSION:
Local State of Emergency
On August 31, 2024, SCE sent the following message to approximately 200 metered
accounts which equates to approximately 140 households in the PBCA:
“Dear Customer,
Due to critical safety issues mentioned in the letter you received on July 30,
2024, Southern California Edison must turn off power indefinitely to your
property starting tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. We
understand that a power outage can create hardships, and the decision to
shut off power is never taken lightly. The safety of community members and
our employees remains our top priority. ¶SCE has seen a significant
increase in the number of repairs needed to safely keep the power on, and
we are unable to effectively monitor the situation 24/7 because of the land
movement and rugged terrain in the area. ¶Unfortunately, the fire on August
29, 2024, near Narcissa Drive demonstrates that the company cannot
mitigate the public safety risk from land movement in this area. SCE must
now de-energize some customers indefinitely to avoid the risk of utility
equipment igniting a wildfire. ….”
On September 1, 2024, at approximately noon, SCE shut off services to 193 meters in
the PBCA, consisting of 140 residences and 53 business or public agency accounts. The
accounts will not be reenergized in the foreseeable future. The power shut off affects the
residents in the PBCA, but also affects the City’s and the geologic hazard abatement
districts’ (Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District) ability to power the dewatering
wells, as well as the City’s sewer system in the area. On August 31, 2024, the City issued
an evacuation warning for the properties affected by the September 1 de -energization
event due to public health concerns if the City’s sewer system would be deemed
inoperable.
On September 1, 2024, SCE issued a further notice that on September 2, 2024, at
approximately 7:00 p.m., that homes in the Seaview neighborhood would be subject to
the following service shut-offs: 38 properties will be deenergized for 1-3 weeks while a
box loop is constructed; 47 properties will be deenergized for 24 hours to reroute circuitry;
and 20 properties will be deenergized indefinitely, to prevent the risk of wildfires from
equipment damaged by the land movement.
Government Code Section 8558(c)(1) provides that a local emergency “means the duly
proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons
and property within the territorial limits of a … city, caused by conditions such as …
sudden and severe energy shortage, de-energization event … or other conditions, other
than conditions resulting from a labor controversy, which are or are likely to be beyond
the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of that political subdivision
and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat, or with respect
to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe energy shortage or de -energization
event that requires extraordinary measures beyond the authority vested in the Public
Utilities Commission.”
Government Code Section 8557(h) defines a de-energization event as “a planned power
outage, undertaken by an electrical corporation, as defined in Section 218 of the Public
Utilities Code, to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by utility equipment, pursuant to
Public Utilities Commission Resolution ESRB-8 and any decisions issued by the
commission, the Wildfire Safety Division, as set forth in Section 326 of the Public Utilities
Code, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, or any other agency with aut hority over
electrical corporations. A de-energization event begins when an electrical corporation
provides notice to any state agency or political subdivision of the potential need to initiate
a planned de-energization of the electrical grid, and ends when the electrical corporation
restores electrical services to all deenergized customers, or when the electrical
corporation cancels the de-energization event for some or all of its affected customers,
and rescinds the notice of the potential need to initiate the de-energization event. A de-
energization event does not include any planned outages in connection with regular utility
work.”
Generators and Mutual Aid
Since receiving word from SCE of the scheduled power shutoff, the City began
implementing its contingency plan by procuring generators to power the City’s sewer
system in PBCA, along with the dewatering wells. Due to the immediate threat of the
City’s system being inoperable by the noon shutoff on September 1, residents from the
PBCA secured three diesel powered generators and the City assisted in their installation.
The next step is for the City to procure propane and/or battered powered generators for
the three lift stations.
Meanwhile, the City continues to coordinate with the Abalone Cove and Klondike Canyon
Landslide Abatements Districts to procure generators to keep the dewatering wells
operational.
Due to limited resources, the City in coordination with its Area G Disaster Management
Area Coordinator (DMAC) and Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management
are requesting mutual aid for, among other resources, generators for the sewer and
dewatering wells. At this time, because Individual Assistance has not been deployed by
the State or Federal levels, generators for residents cannot be requested. That said, the
City continues to press, as noted in the attached resolution, that individual assistance be
deployed. The City Council is being asked to send the attached letter to CalOES an d
FEMA requesting individual assistance be deployed (Attachment B) in addition to sending
another letter to Governor Newsom requesting he declare a State of Emergency
(Attachment C).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Neighborhood Safety
The power shutoff leaves the PBCA and Seaview neighborhoods and individual
residences vulnerable to burglaries and other public safety concerns. In response, the
City has authorized the Lomita Station to deploy and station deputies at these two
neighborhoods using the City’s overtime agreement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department.
Meanwhile, the City is exploring utilizing procuring a private security company to provide
long-term security and patrol checks in these two neighborhoods. Once confirmed, a
professional services agreement will be brought to the City Council for considerat ion of
any costs that exceed the City Manager’s authorized spending limit ($25,000).
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution amending the state of
emergency adopted on August 6, 2024, to include the de -energization events of
September 1 and 2, 2024 and expanding the covered area to include not just PBCA but
also the Seaview neighborhoods.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not amend the Local State of Emergency for severe and sudden energy
shortage to include the planned de-energization events.
2. Take such other action as the Council deems appropriate.
01203.0023/1012732.3
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-__
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA, TO AMEND
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-52, DECLARING THE EXISTENCE
OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC
BOUNDARIES OF THE PORTUGUESE BEND
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BASED ON A SUDDEN AND
SEVERE ENERGY SHORTAGE AND A PLANNED
DEENERGIZATION EVENT, AND TO EXPAND THE STATE
OF EMERGENCY TO INCLUDE THE SEAVIEW
NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ON A PLANNED
DEENERGIZING EVENT
WHEREAS, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes is home to four out of five sub-slides
that comprise the Greater Portuguese Landslide Complex (Landslide Comp lex): the
Portuguese Bend Landslide, Abalone Cove Landslide, Klondike Canyon Landslide, and
Beach Club Landslide. The Portuguese Bend Landslide encompasses the Portuguese
Bend Community Association (PBCA), the Seaview neighborhood, and the Portuguese
Beach Club. The Landslide Complex has been active since the 1950s.
WHEREAS, the 2022-2023 rainy season brought exceptional amounts of rain to
the region, dumping 20.9” of rain or 190% of the average annual rainfall in the region.
WHEREAS, by April 26, 2024, total rainfall for the 2023-24 season (beginning Oct
1, 2023) was 23.01" or 169% of the historical 67-year average of 13.63" for this rain
gauge. (All data based on LACDPW Rainfall Gauge No. 1011B at Rolling Hills FS.)
WHEREAS, beginning in 2018, but particularly since May 2023, the land
movement in the Landslide Complex has increased significantly due to increased rainfall
in the last two rainy seasons, which caused the water table to rise dramatically and
destabilize the landslides. The City has established, via repeated geologic studies, that a
significant factor in the speed of land movement in the Districts is the amount of water in
the soil.
WHEREAS, Chapter 2.44 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC)
details the powers and responsibilities of the City during emergency circumstances, which
is defined in Section 2.24.020 as “the actual or threatened existence of conditions of
disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within this city caused
by such conditions as air pollution, fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, or earthquake, or
other conditions, including conditions resulting from war or imminent threat of war, but
other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy which conditions are or are likely
to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment and facilities of this city,
requiring the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.”
WHEREAS, on October 3, 2023, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes adopted Resolution No. 2023-47, declaring a local state of emergency due to the
alarming increase of land movement in the Landslide Complex. The state of emergency
based on the land movement has been extended as required by law and is still active.
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Resolution No. 2024-__
Page 2 of 6
WHEREAS, the land movement in the PBC is currently about 9”-12” per week
(depending on the location), the greatest rate of movement in the Landslide Complex. As
a result, utility companies (sewer, electric, water, gas) have had to take innovative and
extraordinary measures to repair infrastructure and provide service to the residents of the
PBCA. By way of example, water pipes and sewer trunk lines have been and are being
moved above ground and flexible joints have been added to provide more give as the
land moves; electric lines are de-energized and poles removed or moved; and slack is
added to the electrical lines to account for the land drift. The constant movement of the
land presents a logistical and costly challenge for the utilities that is unprecedented in
scale, and even more so for the residents of the PBCA.
WHEREAS, on July 29, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., with less than 72 hours’ notice, the
Southern California Gas Company turned off natural gas service to approximately 135
homes in the PBCA, stating that providing service is no longer safe due to the land
movement. Until the landslide is stabilized, it is unlikely that natural gas service can be
restored. The following streets are impacted: Cherryhill Lane; Cinnamon Lane; Clovetree
Place; Figtree Road; Fruit Tree Road; Ginger Root Lane; Kumquat Lane; Narcissa Drive;
Palos Verdes Drive; Peppertree Drive; Plumtree Road; E. Pomegranate Road; W.
Pomegranate Road; Roseapple Road; Sweetbay Road; Tangerine Road; Thyme Place;
and Vanderlip Drive. As of the date of this Resolution, the gas service has not been
restored.
WHEREAS, on August 31, 2024, SCE sent the following message to
approximately 200 accounts: “Dear Customer, ¶Due to critical safety issues mentioned in
the letter you received on July 30, 2024, Southern California Edison must turn off power
indefinitely to your property starting tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. We
understand that a power outage can create hardships, and the decision to shut off power
is never taken lightly. The safety of community members and our employees remains our
top priority. ¶SCE has seen a significant increase in the number of repairs needed to
safely keep the power on, and we are unable to effectively monitor the situation 24/7
because of the land movement and rugged terrain in the area. ¶Unfortunately, the fire on
August 29, 2024, near Narcissa Drive demonstrates that the company cannot mitigate
the public safety risk from land movement in this area. SCE must now de -energize some
customers indefinitely to avoid the risk of utility equipment igniting a wildfire. ….”
WHEREAS, on September 1, 2024, at approximately noon, SCE shut off services
to 193 meters in the PBCA, consisting of 140 residences and 53 business or public
agency accounts. The accounts will not be reenergized in the foreseeable future. The
power shut off affects the residents in the PBCA, but also affects the City’s and the
geologic hazard abatement districts’ ability to power the dewatering wells, as well as the
City’s sewer system in the area. On August 31, 2024, the City issued an evacuation
warning for the properties affected by the September 1 deenergization event.
WHEREAS, on September 1, 2024, SCE issued a further notice that on September
2, 2024, at approximately 7:00 p.m., that homes in the Seaview neighborhood would be
subject to the following service shut-offs: 38 properties will be deenergized for 1-3 weeks
while a box loop is constructed; 47 properties will be deenergized for 24 hours to reroute
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Resolution No. 2024-__
Page 3 of 6
circuitry; and 20 properties will be deenergized indefinitely, to prevent the risk of wildfires
from equipment damaged by the land movement .
WHEREAS, as the land movement continues to accelerate in the Landslide
Complex, it is likely that additional properties may experience temporary or permanent
natural gas shut-offs that are sudden and severe, as well as further deenergization
events.
WHEREAS, Subdivision (c)(1) of Section 8558 of the Government Code provides
that a local emergency “means the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or
of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of a …
city, caused by conditions such as … sudden and severe energy shortage, deenergization
event … or other conditions, other than conditions resulting from a labor controversy,
which are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment,
and facilities of that political subdivision and require the combined forces of other political
subdivisions to combat, or with respect to regulated energy utilities, a sudden and severe
energy shortage or deenergization event that requires extraordinary measures beyond
the authority vested in the Public Utilities Commission.”
WHEREAS, subdivision (g) of Government Code Section 8557 defines a sudden
and severe energy shortage as “a rapid, unforeseen shortage of energy, resulting from,
but not limited to, events such as …natural disasters, and that has statewide, regional, or
local impact.”
WHEREAS, subdivision (h) of Government Code Section 8557 defines a
deenergization event as “a planned power outage, undertaken by an electrical
corporation, as defined in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code, to reduce the risk of
wildfires caused by utility equipment, pursuant to Public Utilities Commission Resolution
ESRB-8 and any decisions issued by the commission, the Wildfire Safety Division, as set
forth in Section 326 of the Public Utilities Code, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety,
or any other agency with authority over electrical corporations. A deenergization event
begins when an electrical corporation provides notice to any state agency or political
subdivision of the potential need to initiate a planned deenergization of the electrical grid,
and ends when the electrical corporation restores electrical services to all deenergized
customers, or when the electrical corporation cancels the deenergization event for some
or all of its affected customers, and rescinds the notice of the potential need to initiate the
deenergization event. A deenergization event does not include any planned outages in
connection with regular utility work.”
WHEREAS, on August 6, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-52,
declaring a state of emergency in the PBCA based on the sudden shortage of energy.
With this resolution, the City Council intends to reaffirm the state of emergency, and
amend it to include the deenergization events.
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Resolution No. 2024-__
Page 4 of 6
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES, CALIFORNIA, HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND RESOLVES AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Recitals. The City Council hereby determines that the above recitals
are true and correct and incorporates the same as the findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. Proclamation of Emergency. The City Council finds, pursuant to
RPVMC Chapter 2.24 and Government Code §§ 8630, 8680.9, and 8558 there exists,
and continues to exist, an actual condition of peril to the safety of persons and property
exiting within the PBCA, and based on the staff report and recommendations and public
testimony, and hereby proclaims that a state of local emergency continues to exist
throughout the same.
SECTION 3. Sudden and Severe Energy Shortage. The City Council finds that
turning off natural gas service to approximately 135 homes in the PBCA due to safety
concerns with a mere 72-hour notice constitutes a sudden and severe energy shortage
based on a natural disaster that has a local impact, as defined by Government Code
Section 8557(g). Natural gas is a form of energy, used by residents in the PBCA to power
water heaters, washer-dryers, stoves, and other appliances.
SECTION 4. Deenergization Event. The City Council finds that:
(A) The power shut off on September 1, 2024 to 194 properties in the PBCA to
reduce the risk of wildfires caused by utility equipment constitutes a planned
deenergization event, as defined by Government Code Section 8557(h).
(B) Th power shut off on September 2, 2024 to 105 out of 270 homes in the
Seaview neighborhood to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by utility equipment
constitutes a planned deenergization event, as defined by Government Code Section
8557(h).
SECTION 5. State of Emergency Declared. After consideration of all facts
reasonably available, the City Council now desires to adopt a declaration of a state of
local emergency within the PBCA and Seaview neighborhood based on the sudden and
severe energy shortage that resulted from the natural gas shut-off on July 29, 2024 in the
PBCA, and based on the planned deenergization events on September 1 and 2, 2024 in
the PBCA and the Seaview neighborhood. The amended state of emergency is effective
as of August 29, 2024 as to the additional grounds and expanded area. The state of
emergency adopted on August 6, 2024 is not affected.
SECTION 6. Authority Granted. It is further proclaimed and ordered that during
the existence of said local emergency, the powers, authority, functions and duties of the
Disaster Council, Director, and the City’s emergency services organizations shall be
those prescribed by State Law, City ordinances, Resolution No. 2023-47, and any other
applicable resolutions, and approved plans of the City in order to mitigate the effects of
the local emergency.
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Resolution No. 2024-__
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SECTION 7. Immunity Invoked. To the maximum extent permitted by law, and
pursuant to Government Code § 866, the City Council hereby invokes the immunity
afforded to the City of Rancho Palos Verds in adopting and implementing the declaration
of local emergency within the Landslide Complex.
SECTION 8. Duration. The local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist
until its termination is proclaimed by the City Council in accordance with law. Government
Code § 8630 requires the City Council to review of the need for continuing the local
emergency at least once every 60 days until the City Council determines the local
emergency within the geographic boundaries of the Landslide Complex has been a bated
or mitigated to insignificance.
SECTION 9. Continuing Declaration. Government Code § 8630 requires the
City Council to review of the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every
60 days until the City Council determines the local emergency within the PBCA has been
abated or mitigated to insignificance.
SECTION 10. Resolution No. 2024-52. This Resolution supersedes
Resolution No. 2024-52 only to the extent that it amends the grounds for the state of
emergency and expands the area covered by the state of emergency, effective August
29, 2024. This Resolution does not repeal or otherwise invalidate the state of emergency
adopted by Resolution No. 2024-52.
SECTION 11. Severability. If any subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or
word of this Resolution or any application of it to any person, structure, gathering, or
circumstance is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of a court of competent
jurisdiction, then such decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions or
applications of this Resolution.
SECTION 12. CEQA. The City Council finds that this Resolution is proposed to
allow the City to continue to address and mitigate an imminent threat to public health and
safety and therefore is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public Resources Code, Section
21080(b)(4) and CEQA Guidelines, Section 15269.
SECTION 13. Effectiveness. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. A
copy of the Proclamation and this Resolution shall be forwarded to the California Office
of Emergency Management. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of
this resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED on this 3rd day of September, 2024.
________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________
City Clerk
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Resolution No. 2024-__
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES )
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that
the above Resolution No. 2024-__ was duly and regularly passed and adopted by the
said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on September 3, 2024.
___________________________
City Clerk
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
September 4, 2024 Via Email
Deanne Criswell
Federal Emergency Management Agency
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055
Nancy Ward
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, CA 95655
SUBJECT: Request for Individual Assistance for Residents Impacted by Accelerated
Movement in Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex
Dear Director Criswell and Director Ward,
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes, California thanks you for your attention to our community’s
ongoing crisis in the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex following California’s recent
heavy rainy seasons, including severe winter storms from January 31-February 9, 2024 (Disaster
No. DR-4769-CA).
As you know, heavy stormwater infiltration from these severe storms has fueled the landslide,
which is accelerating at an unprecedented rate of 9 to 12 inches per week (depending on the
location). This crisis has damaged homes, roads, and utilities, and resulted in the closure of over
10 miles of popular trails, two public beaches, and the emergency disassembly of Wayfarers
Chapel, a National Historic Landmark.
Most notably, on July 29, 2024, gas line damage in the Portuguese Bend Community
Association (PBCA) of Rancho Palos Verdes required SoCalGas to indefinitely shut off
natural gas service to approximately 135 homes and with fewer than 3 days’ notice. Other
utilities ranging from Southern California Edison (SCE) to CalWater are also experiencing
significant infrastructure damage in a landscape that shifts from day to day. On July 30,
2024, SCE notified residents that there may be a potential to cut off service to
approximately 525 homes in 3 neighborhoods. On September 1 and 2, 2024, SCE shutoff
power to the PBCA and Seaview neighborhoods leaving approximately 275 households
without power. Moreover, as a customer of SCE, the City no longer has power for its sewer
system pumps and dewatering wells, and communication lines are also impacted. The
sheer scale of this landslide and the damage it is inflicting on hundreds of homes and
thousands of residents is best understood with a site visit. Therefore, we wish to invite
your office, as well as the Governor, to tour the site with us at soon as possible.
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
In response to Disaster No. DR-4769-CA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
made its Public Assistance Program available to the City and two geological hazard abatements
districts to help their efforts to slow down the landslides. Additionally, the U.S. Small Business
Administration offered low-interest loans to homeowners, businesses, and nonprofits that
suffered property damage or economic loss.
While the City greatly appreciates this support, we are writing again to urgently request individual
assistance, in the form of grants, be made available to the hundreds of homeowners whose
properties are increasingly threatened by this disaster.
Since the storms, the landslide complex has expanded from 380 to 680 acres in recent months
— a 79% increase. Over 1 square mile of land is sliding toward the ocean. Since June 2023, two
homes in the landslide complex have been deemed uninhabitable. However, an untold number
are experiencing significant damage. Roadway access is becoming increasingly difficult in some
neighborhoods. As a result, the City anticipates additional properties may be deemed
uninhabitable in the coming weeks and months, which would displace residents.
The City is finding temporary solutions to help homeowners stabilize and level their houses
through this emergency. This includes bridging separating rooflines and providing alternative
foundations that may move with the shifting land. We are exploring expanding the permissible
use of temporary housing, such as manufactured homes, in the landslide complex while repairs
are made to permanent homes so they can be salvaged. Additionally, the City is identifying
emergency sheltering options, if needed.
Residents in the landslide area need all the help they can get from every branch of government,
and they need it quickly. Given the urgency of this worsening situation, we request FEMA make
additional individual assistance, such as the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), and/or
any other possible options, available as soon as possible. We also request collaboration with the
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to identify state resources to
bolster individual assistance, such as grants.
We need your support now to help residents whose lives are being upended by this evolving
emergency.
Sincerely,
John Cruikshank
Mayor
cc: Robert Fenton, Jr., Administrator, FEMA Region 9
Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator, California
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California
Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, 36th Congressional District
Ben Allen, Senator, 24th State Senate District
Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember, 66th Assembly District
Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
Kevin McGowan, Director, L.A. County Office of Emergency Management
Brandy Villanueva, Disaster Manager Area Coordinator, L.A. County Area G
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Catherine Jun, Rancho Palos Verdes Deputy City Manager
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
Attachments enclosed on page 3.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. One example of Seaview, a severely impacted neighborhood, experiencing significant
damage to infrastructure, homes, and utilities. Previously, the street and homes were
level, but are now on radically separate planes.
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
(Source: LA Times – Significant, ongoing landslide damage has necessitated the de-construction and off-
site storage of the historic landmark, Wayfarers Chapel, until a new location can be found.)
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
(Source: LA Times – The ongoing landslide has created unusual movement (and damage) of homes
shifting over multiple parcels and roads. Aerial imagery shows how far one house has moved from its
original parcel.)
2. Los Angeles Times Article on SoCalGas’ sudden shut off of natural gas service to 135
homes on July 29, 2024:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-07-28/this-coast-on-the-move-means-gas-
breaks
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
September 4, 2024
California Office of Emergency Services Disaster Analysis Unit
3650 Schriever Avenue
Mather, CA 95655
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR THE GOVERNOR TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WITHIN THE PORTUGUESE BEND COMMUNITY (PBC) DUE TO A SUDDEN
AND SEVERE ENERGY SHORTAGE, ANDTO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO
PRESIDENT BIDEN TO DECLARE A FEDERAL STATE OF EMERGENCY
To whom it may concern:
The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council is requesting, as a follow-up to our August 6 request,
that the Governor to invoke his emergency powers pursuant to the Emergency Services Act,
Gov’t Code § 8550 et seq., and to proclaim a State of Emergency in the Portuguese Bend
Community and Seaview neighborhoods due to a sudden and severe energy shortage as
defined under Gov’t Code § 8557(g). This shortage began on July 29, 2024, when Southern
California Gas (SCG) shut off natural gas service to approximately 135 homes in the
Portuguese Bend Community with less than 72 hours’ notice and without any indication that
service will be restored, and now with Southern California Edison (SCE) shutting power off to
approximately 275 households. This decision came as a direct result of the ongoing
acceleration of the 680-acre Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex),
which has damaged SCG gas lines and SCE power lines, and created unsafe conditions in
the community. Since July 29, residents have been scrambling to find alternate means of
heating water, cooking meals, warming homes in preparation for a potentially rainy winter
season, and now powering appliances, security systems, and the City’s sewer system,
dewatering wells and all communication lines.
Due to the historic rainstorms of 2023 and 2024, the Landslide Complex has accelerated to
an unprecedented rate of 9-12 inches per week (depending on the location). This sudden
increase in land movement has caused and continues to cause major damage to all other
utilities including Cal Water, Cox, Frontier, and Los Angeles County Sanitation. Repairs have
been constant, disruptive, and costly. One day after SCG’s decision to shut off service, SCE
notified approximately 525 homes across PBC and three other neighborhoods (Seaview,
Portuguese Bend Beach Club, and Seacliff Hills) about the potential to discontinue power
with little to no advanced warning, if conditions warrant. Affected residents are struggling to
keep pace in an ever-changing landscape that not only damages utilities, but the integrity of
homes, streets, and services (i.e. Fire, waste management, etc.) and need resources.
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CalOES Disaster Analysis Unit
September 4, 2024
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Rancho Palos Verdes residents are facing an unprecedented situation without a playbook,
and the City looks to State and Federal governments for individual financial assistance.
On August 6, and September 3, 2024, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council adopted a Local
Declaration of Emergency in the Portuguese Bend Community and now the Seaview
neighborhoods, based on the sudden and severe energy shortage created by SCG and SCE
29, as defined under Government Code Section 8557(g). This action was intended to provide
affected residents with immediate access to resources. However, the City’s resources are
limited, as the City is also engaged in (1) an emergency hydrauger project to slow down the
landslide and (2) ongoing roadway rehabilitation to Palos Verdes Drive South, a major arterial
in the Landslide Complex experiencing major damage that disrupts the commute of 15,000
drivers per day.
As such, the City Council requests, pursuant to the authority provided by the Act, and
specifically by Sections 8571 and 8625 of the Government Code, that the Governor declare
a State of Emergency for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes to make public and individual
financial and in-kind assistance (i.e. Army Corps of Engineers) available to the community
impacted by the severe and sudden energy shortage, and to waive and/or suspend certain
state laws and permits required by local and state agencies that include, but are not limited
to, the California Coastal Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the
Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State Water Resources Control Board, the South
Coast Air Quality Management District, and other State agency permits or review processes.
The City Council also requests the Governor waive and/or relax any requirements under the
California Environmental Quality Act and its implementing regulations related to the approval
and implementation of the remediation measures set forth above. Lastly, the City is
requesting that the Governor submit a request to the President of the United States for a
Federal Emergency Declaration pursuant to the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207 to
achieve the aforementioned requests in the form of public and individual financial and in-kind
assistance.
We thank the Governor and CalOES for their consideration of this request. If you have any
further questions, please contact City Manager Ara Mihranian at aram@rpvca.gov or by
telephone at 310-544-5202.
Sincerely,
John Cruikshank
Mayor
310-544-5202
John.Cruikshank@rpvca.gov
cc: Los Angeles District Robert Fenton, Jr., Administrator, FEMA Region 9
Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator, California
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California
Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, 36th Congressional District
Ben Allen, Senator, 24th State Senate District
Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember, 66th Assembly District
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CalOES Disaster Analysis Unit
September 4, 2024
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Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
Kevin McGowan, Director, L.A. County Office of Emergency Management
Brandy Villanueva, Disaster Manager Area Coordinator, L.A. County Area G
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Ara Mihranian, City Manager
Catherine Jun, Rancho Palos Verdes Deputy City Manager
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ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
August 2, 2024
Jill C. Anderson
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Southern California Edison
2244 Walnut Grove Avenue
Rosemead, CA 91770
RESPONSE TO NOTICE OF POTENTIAL SERVICE SHUT OFF DUE TO LAND MOVEMENT
Dear Ms. Anderson:
On behalf of the City Council and residents of Rancho Palos Verdes, I am writing this
letter in my capacity as City Manager. On July 30, 2024, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
received your community update regarding the potential shut off of power in the l andslide area
if conditions warrant. The City understands that, over the past 18 months, land movement
within the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex has been considerable. However, we
are very concerned that the consequences of deenergizing neighborhoods within the landslide
will result in deenergizing neighborhoods outside of the landslide and are not unduly impacted
by the land movement.
It is my understanding that the affected circuit serves upwards of 525 properties in
Seaview, Portuguese Bend Community, and Portuguese Bend Beach Club, as well as Sea Cliff
Hills, a neighborhood that lies outside the landslide. My concern is that in the e vent of an
electricity shut-off for safety reasons due to the land movement, Sea Cliff Hills will be impacted
for an indefinite timeframe, potentially displacing thousands of residents whose public utilities
remain intact for the most part. With this in mind, I strongly urge SCE to begin the process to
split the circuit immediately so that the impact of any landslide related shut -off is minimized
and does not expand into unaffected areas.
Additionally, SCE should know and take into account that a power shut-off in the
landslide area will directly impact critical services such as important communication lines, as
well as de-energize the City’s and hazard abatement districts’ much needed dewatering wells
that are used to remove groundwater to decelerate land movement. Furthermore, the City has
been diligently working to install hydraugers that will penetrate below the slip plane to alleviate
artesian pressure, and needs power to pump water out. I emphasize that SCE’s decision to shut
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Southern California Edison
August 2, 2024
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
off power can have significant adverse effects on City efforts to slow the landslide, and I
implore SCE to study the grid and to separate the circuit to minimize service disruption.
Finally, as SCE is well aware, there a number of vulnerable residents within SCE’s service
area. While SCE has a number of resources available to provide alternative sources of power, I
urge you to directly reach out to the community to identify which hous eholds have such
residents and begin working with them now to prepare for the eventuality of a deenergization
event.
If you have any questions or want to speak with me directly, I can be reached at 310-544-5202
or via email at aram@rpvca.gov
Sincerely,
Ara Mihranian
City Manager/Emergency Services Director
c.Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator, California
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California
Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, 36th Congressional District
Ben Allen, Senator, 24th State Senate District
Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember, 66th Assembly District
Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager
Elena Gerli, City Attorney
Celina Luna, Government Relations Manager, SCE
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