After an unusually dry winter, California is going forward with more than $500 million in projects to reduce the danger of wildfires.
This month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a $536 million plan, about $200 million more than he had sought to spend on the wildfire threat in the first half of this year. The plan includes nearly $200 million to build fuel breaks near vulnerable communities, $283 million for forest management, and $25 million intended to draw $75 million in federal matching money to help make homes less likely to burn.
The state spent $9 billion fighting historically devastating fires last year. Spending on prevention this year is intended to reduce the number of blazes and make them less damaging.
Last year’s wildfire season burned more than 4% of the state, killed 33 people, and destroyed close to 10,500 buildings.
Related Stories
| Oct 3, 2012
SERF, CSE launch a new accreditation for evaluation of building sustainability
The Society of Environmentally Responsible Facilities (SERF), a Chicago-based environmental building certification organization, and the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) launched a new accreditation program that certifies professionals to evaluate buildings’ sustainable systems and practices according to SERF’s certification criteria.
| Oct 3, 2012
New version of Occupied Space Standard for DC microgrids in buildings released
The EMerge Alliance, an association leading the adoption of safe direct-current (DC) power distribution standards for commercial buildings, has updated the EMerge Alliance Occupied Space standard.
| Sep 26, 2012
Automatic budget cuts in January would slash federal agencies' construction budgets
Sequestration, or the implementation of automatic budget cuts as of January 2013, would slash government agencies' already reduced construction budgets further, and require agencies to shelve some repair and maintenance projects.
| Sep 26, 2012
Investment in greener data centers to reach $45 billion by 2016
Investment in data centers built to green standards will increase from the $17.1 billion predicted for this year to $45 billion by 2016, according to Pike Research.
| Sep 26, 2012
OSHA fines on fall-protection violations challenged by New York contractor
A New York masonry contractor is contesting an OccupationalSafety and Health Administration $136,290 fine for violations of fall-protection standards.a
| Sep 26, 2012
Construction workplace deaths decline nearly 7% in 2011
There were 721 construction-workplace deaths in 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, down 6.8% from 2010.
| Sep 26, 2012
Contractors save $9 billion due to revised California emissions rule
The California Air Resources Board made changes to a rule limiting off-road diesel emissions that could result in contractors saving about $9 billion.
| Sep 20, 2012
Smithtown, N.Y. considers bigger fines for building code violations
After a Suffolk County grand jury recommended stiffer fines for illegal demolitions, Smithtown, NY officials are weighing tougher penalties for developers who violate the town building code.
| Sep 20, 2012
AGC awarded federal grant to provide fall-protection safety program
The Associated General Contractors of America will continue to provide fall protection safety training next year after being awarded a federal safety grant.
| Sep 20, 2012
East Lansing officials accused of ignoring unauthorized project that led to partial building collapse
The unauthorized construction of a fifth-floor penthouse on a downtown East Lansing, Mich. mixed-use development led to a partial building collapse earlier this year.
