Congressmembers Carbajal and Panetta sign letter requesting Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties join active federal emergency declaration

SANTA BARBARA AND SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES, Calif. – Congressmembers Salud Carbajal and Jimmy Panetta signed a letter to President Joe Biden to amend California's federal emergency declaration to include San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties after heavy rain saturated the area on Jan. 9.

"Federal support is necessary to save lives, protect public health and safety, and defend property from damage in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties," the jointly signed letter explained.

The letter went on to detail how each county was in need of federal emergency assistance including Santa Barbara's multiple fire scars increasing debris flow risk and the over 6,000 homes in San Luis Obispo County that remain without power.

California's state of emergency was granted for 17 counties in the declaration signed by President Biden on Jan. 9.