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WASHINGTON – The Trump administration plans to set conditions for federal disaster aid to Los Angeles to rebuild from the Eton and Palisades fires. house.
President Trump’s longtime ally, Rick Grenell, served as presidential envoy for a special mission and said at a conservative political action conference in Washington that there are “conditions” for coming aid, both recently He said it reflects previous warnings from the man.
“The reality is that the federal response is primarily money, so I think they have strings to the money they give to California,” Grenell said. “We’re talking about those conditions now.
“As a Californian, I’m everything for that because if we just went back and gave California hundreds of millions of dollars, then we don’t believe they are them. [not] “Back to the same old way of not giving us enough water, we have a dangerous situation on the ground when it comes to forestry,” he added. “It’s going to happen again.”
This week, Trump administration officials told The Times that funds for the federal emergency management agency to Los Angeles, designated for resilience, were not completely tapped by the mayor at the time of the fire, including liquidation of overgrowth. .
The federal response is currently focusing on promoting regular debris removal, accelerate the Environmental Protection Agency’s dangerous debris removal process and speeding up access to Angelenos’ homes, authorities said. The person said. The White House does not plan to conduct a full-scale federal investigation into local responses that will help determine where to focus on federal dollars, officials added, but FEMA learns with local governments. is discussing.
It is unclear how Grenell has been involved in federal disaster response, despite President Trump naming it as a designated crisis in the administration during his presidential visit to Los Angeles last month. Officials said Grenell is primarily responsible for explaining Trump’s progress in response, and serves as an intermediary between the state and local officials.
Grenell has also been involved in diplomatic efforts on Russia’s Ukrainian war, negotiating with Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and has been tapped to serve as president of the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington.
While discussions are underway on precise terms for assistance, Grenell looks closely at the California Coastal Commission, which regulates development along the state’s coastal zones and protects public access to beaches. said Grenell.
The 1976 Coastal Act, launched by voters and signed in his first term by Gov. Jerry Brown, was a response to unregulated coastline development. Shortly after its passage, beachfront owners and interest groups throughout the state began pushing for amendments or repeals of sections of the law.
Rick Grenell will speak during the Republican National Convention in July.
(J. Scott Apple White / Associated Press)
“I don’t want to commit too much, but I’ll say this,” Grenell told the audience. “Everyone involved knows that the California Coastal Commission is a disaster and must absolutely be repaid. And from the way we think about government, we have already made local governments these decisions. It’s down.
“It’s an unelected group of crazy awakened people,” he continued. “One person can stop progress, and they have reduced California’s safety. They squeezed their federal funds and made sure they couldn’t get the funds, and then the California Coastal Commission was established. I think putting strings on them to remove them would make California better.”
Coastal Commissions have been a target for political conflict for years as politicians and voters debate whether environmental protection guaranteed by the committee outweighs the bureaucratic headaches that its regulations cause.
After the wildfires, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to lift some of the committee’s requirements to facilitate the reconstruction process. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) said he plans to introduce legislation in the House to curb committee authorities.
During his visit last month, Trump warned that the committee could be a target for federal scrutiny. Meeting with local leaders a few days after he took office, he said the Coastal Commission is considered the most difficult institution in the country to secure permits, and “I am not going to run away with their antics.” He added.
Surrounded by LA County fires, Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), denounced the administration’s position.
“Trump administrators want to politics in disaster relief. The reality is that Californians give federal taxes of more than billions of people each year than any other state,” Friedman said. said in a statement. “When we have residents who have lost everything, we don’t need to ask for help. This is horror, simple and simple.”
Grenell’s comments are the latest in the saga, longer than the future of California’s Wildfire Aid. Before he took office, President Biden pledged 100% federal support until June, telling Southern Californians: We don’t go anywhere. ”
Less than two weeks later, Trump moved to an oval office, and almost immediately Biden’s promise was in danger. Republican leaders such as Louisiana House Speaker Mike Johnson were the first to raise the possibility of attaching conditions to federal funding, including the adoption of a more stringent voter ID law.
The proposal was met with a widespread recession from Los Angeles-area politicians who pointed out that other states do not need to meet certain conditions to receive emergency funds.
“We shouldn’t take advantage of the pain and suffering of fellow Americans,” said Rep. Ted Liu (D-Torrance). “When Mother Nature strikes, she doesn’t care about party affiliation. After all, we’re all Americans.”
Newsom traveled to Washington this month to discuss funding for a wildfire with Trump after the president visited the Pacific Palisades. On a trip to California, Trump embraced the destruction and pressured local leaders to allow residents to return to their homes. It also gave him and Newsom the opportunity to repair their long-term relationship.
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