[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 16] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 21930-21931] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]EARMARK DECLARATION ______ HON. BRIAN P. BILBRAY of california in the house of representatives Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Mr. BILBRAY. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congressman Brian Bilbray. Bill Number: H.R. 2638 (The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act). Account: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Predisaster Mitigation. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: The City of San Diego, CA. Address of Requesting Entity: 202 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101, USA. Description of Request: As you may know, San Diego County suffered through one of the worst fire storms in our nation's history last October destroying more than 1,500 homes at a cost of more than $1 billion. This funding would implement wildfire fuels reduction and brush management to create 100 feet of defensible space on 1,180 acres of open space property owned by the City, prioritized based on fire threat mapping by the Fire Chief. Recent history has proven that major wildland fire events have exceptional costs to all involved, including private property owners, local, state and federal governments. Major disasters such as the ones experienced in San Diego last fall cost the federal government significant amounts in response and recovery. While final expenditures are not known, FEMA received applications from thousands in the San Diego region. By thinning the brush in the wildland urban area interface, structures stand a better chance of being defended. By saving these structures, fewer [[Page 21931]] FEMA and SBA dollars will need to be extended to property owners for recovery purposes. I secured a member's request of $1,000,000 to expedite City of San Diego completion of wildfire fuels reduction and vegetation management strategies in order to prevent future wildfires like those experienced in October 2003 and 2007. The project meets the intended and authorized purpose of the FEMA Predisaster Mitigation account, and FEMA program guidelines (June 28, 2008) explicitly cite vegetation management as an eligible mitigation project activity. The City of San Diego has approved $2 million from its general fund for this project during FY2009. ____________________