Feinstein steps up to the plate

It’s heartening that a politician of the rank of Sen. Dianne

Feinstein -- who hails from Northern California, after all -- has

taken a personal interest in the fate of Bluebird Canyon.

Feinstein, who visited this week, was shocked by the state of the

landslide zone so long after the event. Much has been done to remove

destroyed homes, but much remains to make the area safe for the

remaining residents farther up-canyon, not to mention giving

displaced homeowners the ability to rebuild.

She hit the nail on the head with the observation that Laguna is

simply too small a city to bear this burden alone. The state and

federal governments must step up and help restore the public

infrastructure, if nothing else.

The refusal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to take

responsibility has put a kink in receipt of funding virtually

promised to the city by the state Office of Emergency Services.

Although state officials determined that state emergency funds are

warranted, the fact is that no state disaster relief check has yet

landed on the city manager’s desk.

Instead, the state is appealing FEMA’s decision that the landslide

was not a result of winter rains, for which disaster relief was

approved. The appeal is expected to take many months.

If state officials cannot change the minds of FEMA, there is no

telling how much -- or even whether -- state funding will be

forthcoming.

Unfortunately, by her own admission, Democrat Feinstein has little

clout in the Bush Administration’s FEMA. Surely some of our local

Republican leaders can join hands with the Senator to try and wring

some cash from the government.

The loss of influential Congressman Chris Cox has been felt

sharply in Laguna in the aftermath of the slide and the refusal of

the federal agency to acknowledge the need here.

A new representative won’t be in place until the end of the year,

and by that time, millions will need to be spent to shore up the area

for winter.

Feinstein will need all the persuasive muscle she can muster to

induce disaster relief officials to act.