Governor's declaring state of emergency paves way for South Lake Tahoe money

After California suffered through two weeks of storms, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on Monday, paving the way for cities and counties to get reimbursed for storm damage.

The City of South Lake Tahoe declared a state of emergency at their City Council meeting last week and is now going through the community to assess the damage.

El Dorado County also made the same declaration, making both eligible for money to fix roads and make other repairs if the federal government approves Brown's request. Through Northern California, damages are estimated in the tens of millions of dollars.

SLT City Manager Nancy Kerry said they will submit a request for reimbursement for any damage to snowplows, roads and bridges. If approved on the federal level, home owners and business owners would also be able to seek reimbursement on damages received during the January storms.

Kerry said it was a strategic move on their part when they stated "series of storms" in their declaration, unlike other communities who pinpointed it to the first storm of the month.

Already evident in South Lake Tahoe are rough roads and potholes which are just two things Kerry said they can seek funding for.

Brown’s order directs the state Department of Transportation to seek money from the Federal Highway Administration to repair or rebuild highways. It also directs the state Office of Emergency Services to provide other relief for local governments.

Not only were roads in the Sierra Nevada damaged, but several portions of Sacramento County and Northern California were flooded, causing erosion and damage from mud flows.