DES MOINES, Iowa —  While at Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt signed a Secretary’s Order that waives entrance fees to national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands and waters managed by the Department of the Interior for 5th grade students and their families from now until Aug. 31, 2021.  
Secretary Bernhardt’s actions ensure that American 5th grade students who may have been unable to make full use of the Every Kid Outdoors Annual 4th Grade Pass during the 2019-2020 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic will have free access to national parks and other Federal lands managed by the Department during this academic year. 
“The Trump Administration has made expanding public access to America's national parks and public lands a top priority, especially during this year’s pandemic,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “Programming was limited at times for last year’s fourth graders through the Every Kid Outdoors program, so we’re allowing this year’s 5th graders free access to our public lands throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. We hope these kids and their families take advantage of the incredible physical and mental benefits of getting outside and visiting a park, refuge or campground near them.” 
A majority of Interior-managed lands remained accessible to the public at the onset of the pandemic to serve as places of respite and rejuvenation and allow for social distancing. Services were limited for visitors, in particular impacting the Every Kid Outdoors Program. Nearly all units and locations are currently accessible with many having restored services for the public to enjoy following proper public health and safety guidelines. 
Families and students can download their 5th grade passes online at www.nps.gov/kids.
Background Information on the Every Kid Outdoors Program Through the Every Kid Outdoors Program for fourth grade students, entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation are waived, providing limitless opportunities to explore, learn, and recreate in spectacular settings. The pass does not cover expanded amenity fees such as camping or boat rides. 
The program focuses on children around 10 years of age based on research that indicates children ages 9–11 are at a unique developmental stage in their learning where they begin to understand how the world around them works in more concrete ways, and they are more receptive to engaging with nature and the environment. By focusing on this age group year after year, the program aims to ensure every child in the United States has the opportunity to visit their Federal lands and waters by the age of 11 years, hopefully establishing lifelong bonds to our country’s natural and cultural heritage. 
More information is available online at EveryKidOutdoors.gov. 

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 – The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today endorsed Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) for re-election to Congress.
 
“Rep. LaMalfa has consistently fought to promote policies to address ongoing housing affordability concerns that will enable more hardworking American families to achieve homeownership or have access to suitable rental housing,” said NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke, a custom home builder from Tampa, Fla.
 
Housing is important to local, state and national economies and accounts for about 15 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. NAHB believes in this critical election year that it is important to elect pro-housing, pro-business candidates to Congress to ensure that housing and the economy move forward.
 
“We are proud to endorse Rep. LaMalfa for re-election,” said Fowke. “He has worked tirelessly to promote job training programs that will help ensure an ample supply of well-trained workers to build the nation’s homes.”
 
New home construction is an engine of job creation. On average, workers from 22 fields are needed to build a home. Constructing 100 single-family homes creates nearly 300 full-time jobs and $11.1 million in fees and taxes for all levels of government to help fund schools, roads, police and firefighters.
 
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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 700 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.
 
 

 
SACRAMENTO, Calif. –  The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is launching a new education and enforcement campaign to reduce the number of crashes caused by impaired drivers in California.  Efforts associated with the yearlong Safer Highways Statewide grant will continue through September 30, 2021.
 
The Safer Highways Statewide grant provides the CHP with funding to conduct additional driving under the influence (DUI) saturation patrols, DUI checkpoints, and traffic safety education efforts throughout the state.  Additionally, the CHP will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
 
“DUI is the result of poor decision-making, and too often, it has tragic consequences,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley.  “If you drive while impaired, you could be arrested, or worse, involved in a crash.”
 
In 2018, there were 566 deaths and 11,298 injuries associated with DUI crashes within the CHP’s jurisdiction.  Each one of these injuries and deaths represents a preventable tragedy and a continued need to focus efforts on reducing impaired driving. 
 
The CHP reminds the public, “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”  Alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications, illegal drugs, or any combination of these, can impair your ability to drive and will result in an arrest if you are under the influence.  Always designate a sober driver, take public transportation, or call a taxi or a ride-share service.  There is always a better option than getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
 
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, through NHTSA. 
 
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

 
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will swear in 77 new officers during at a ceremony at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento on Friday, October 30, 2020.  Under normal circumstances, the CHP would invite family, friends, CHP employees, and the media to attend and celebrate the tremendous accomplishment of these new officers.  However, due to COVID-19, the cadets will receive their badges in a physically distant ceremony attended only by the cadets, CHP Executive Management, and essential Academy staff.  The CHP instead will have three cadets available for remote media interviews the day before graduation.
 
The new officers begin their careers with more real-life experience than any other class.  The CHP closed its live-in Academy in West Sacramento on March 20, 2020, and sent the seven women and 70 men of Cadet Training Class (CTC) III-19 on temporary work assignments in CHP Area offices near their residences.  On September 14, 2020, all members of CTC III-19 returned to complete their training at the reopened Academy under enhanced health and safety measures.
 
WHO: Cadets Kenton DeWald Jr., Kyle Goe, and Ami Ray                  
 
WHEN: 11:45 a.m., Thursday, October 29, 2020.  CHP will provide the link upon RSVP.
 
IMPORTANT NOTES:   Media wishing to participate in the interviews must:
 

• RSVP no later than 10 a.m., Wednesday, October 28.  RSVP should include the name of the reporter, media outlet, and e-mail address.

 

• Agree to embargo publication/airing of the interviews and press release until the completion of the graduation ceremony at noon on Friday, October 30.

 
The CHP plans to e-mail media still photos and video of the above cadets receiving their badges as well as video of Commissioner Warren Stanley’s remarks and other available images.
 
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Aerial, Vehicle and On-The-Ground Inspections, Patrols and Restoration Work Has Begun for Impacted Areas Where It Is Safe to Do So
 
Restoration Expected to Occur in Stages Beginning Monday Morning Through Tuesday Night
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has begun patrolling some lines de-energized by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) that started Sunday morning, Oct. 25, which affected approximately 355,000 customers in 34 counties. Due to improved weather conditions, Kern and San Joaquin Counties were removed from the scope of this PSPS.
 
This morning, PG&E meteorologists began issuing the weather all clear for portions of areas impacted by the PSPS. Restorations have begun where possible.
 
When it is safe to do so, crews will patrol over 17,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines to ensure that no damage or hazards exist before those lines can be re-energized and those customers restored. Efforts related to this PSPS event will include nearly 1,800 ground patrol units, 1 airplane and 65 helicopters.
 
PSPS Restoration
 
PG&E has begun restoring power to customers in some areas where it is safe to do so and expects to restore power to the remaining customers impacted by this PSPS event throughout the day on Monday and continue into Tuesday, with a majority of the customers restored by late Tuesday evening. In many areas, high winds and fire-critical weather will continue through Tuesday morning, so power restoration efforts cannot occur in those areas until the weather conditions improve and the fire danger subsides. Restoration may be delayed for some customers if crews are required to repair significant damage to individual lines, which could be caused by wind-blown branches and other debris.
 
The restoration process PG&E follows includes:

1. Patrol – PG&E crews work to look for potential weather-related damage to the lines, poles and towers. This is done by foot, vehicle and air.
2. Repair – Where equipment damage is found, PG&E crews work to isolate the damaged area from the rest of the system so other parts of the system can be restored.
3. Restore – Once the poles, towers and lines are safe to energize, PG&E's Control Center can complete the process and restore power to affected areas.
4. Notify Customers – Customers are notified that power has been restored.

 
For more information on the PSPS event, visit pge.com/pspsupdates.
 
Extreme Winds Recorded Across Service Area
 
Winds in de-energized areas due to PSPS were observed as follows:
 
County
Max recorded sustained winds (mph)
Max recorded wind gusts (mph)

Sonoma           
76
89

Napa
54
82

Contra Costa
55
74

Lake
57
71

Placer
42
71

Alameda
52
66

 
Customer Support
 
As of this morning, PG&E has opened 105 Community Resource Centers (CRCs) in 32 counties to support customers when power is out at their homes. The CRCs provide ADA-accessible restrooms, hand-washing stations, medical-equipment charging, Wi-F, bottled water, grab-and-go bags and non-perishable snacks. PG&E updates its CRC locations regularly, click here for updates.
 
All CRCs will follow important COVID-related health and safety protocols including:

• Everyone in a CRC is required to wear facial coverings and maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from those who are not part of the same household.
• Everyone entering an indoor CRC will receive a temperature check.
• CRC staff are trained in COVID-19 precautions and will regularly sanitize surfaces and use Plexiglass barriers at check-in.
• All CRCs will follow county and state requirements regarding COVID-19, including limits on the number of customers permitted indoors at any time.

 
About PG&E 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
 
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SACRAMENTO - Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) released the following statement after Judge Amy Coney Barrett is poised to be the ninth justice to the United States Supreme Court. Earlier this month, Leader Grove joined other legislative leaders from all 50 states in signing a letter in support of Judge Barrett's nomination. Click here to read the letter.

"Congratulations to Judge Amy Coney Barrett on such a momentous occasion. Our nation and its highest court are deserving of such a remarkable jurist whose reputation is well-respected in the legal community. Judge Barrett is committed to upholding the Constitution as written and protecting the rights of Americans," said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.

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Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove represents California's 16th Senate District which encompasses large portions of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino counties and including the cities of Bakersfield, Barstow, California City, Exeter, Frazier Mountain, Joshua Tree, Mojave, Needles, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Taft, Tehachapi, Twentynine Palms, Tulare, Visalia, Yucca Valley and portions of the Kern River Valley. Follow her on Facebookand Twitter.
For press inquiries or questions, please contact Jacqui Nguyen, press secretary for the Senate Republican Cau

Potential Sunday/Oct. 25 PSPS Event: Forecasted Highest Winds and Driest Conditions of the Season Mean PG&E May Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety to Approximately 466,000 Customers Across Northern and Central California
 
Portions of 38 Counties and 25 Tribal Communities May Be Impacted by Widespread, Severe Offshore Wind Event Beginning Sunday
 
Customers Who Might Be Affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff are Receiving the Initial Notifications Today, Two Days Ahead of the Potential Event

Four Extremes in the Weather for this Potential PSPS Event: Extremely High Winds, Extremely Low Humidity, Extreme Dry Fuels And Extreme Drought
 
Current Oct. 21 PSPS Event Update: Essentially All Customers Who Can Receive Electric Service are Now Restored After Current PSPS Event
 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Emergency Operations Center, Meteorology team and Wildfire Safety Operations Center are working together and tracking a significant, offshore wind event starting Sunday that is forecast to have the driest humidity levels and the strongest winds of the wildfire season thus far.
 
PG&E has notified customers in targeted portions of 38 counties about a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) expected to start as early as Sunday morning (Oct. 25). Extremely dry, windy conditions with high gusts pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with critically dry vegetation.
 
High fire-risk conditions are expected to arrive Sunday morning. High winds are currently expected to subside Tuesday morning (Oct. 27). PG&E will then patrol the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event. PG&E will safely restore power as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring most customers within 12 daylight hours, based on current weather conditions.
 
While there is still uncertainty regarding the strength and timing of this weather wind event, the shutoff is forecasted to affect approximately 466,000 customers in targeted portions of 38 counties, including: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba. Some customers in 25 tribal communities may also be affected.
 
The highest probability areas for this PSPS include terrain of the northern and western Sacramento Valley, Northern and Central Sierra as well as higher terrain of the Bay Area, including the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast Region and portions of southern Kern.
 
“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our most important responsibility. PG&E’s 24/7 Wildfire Safety Operations Center and our team of in-house meteorologists continue to monitor weather conditions for this potential Diablo offshore wind event arriving Sunday morning and lasting through Tuesday morning,” said Michael Lewis, PG&E’s Interim President. “Initial forecasts indicate this could be our largest PSPS event this year so far. Our highest priority is to keep customers and communities safe and execute this event according to our plan and to then quickly restore power to all affected customers when it’s safe to do so.”
 
Customer Notification and Impact
 
The potential PSPS event is still two days away. PG&E in-house meteorologists as well as staff in its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operation Center will continue to monitor conditions closely, and additional customer notifications will be issued as we move closer to the potential event.
 
Customer notifications—via text, email and automated phone call—began late this afternoon, approximately two days prior to the potential shutoff. Customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited by a PG&E employee with a knock on their door when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.
 
It is very possible that customers may be affected by a power shutoff even though they are not experiencing extreme weather conditions in their specific location. This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions.
 
Customers can find the full list of impacted counties, cities and communities at pge.com/pspsupdates. 
 
Potentially Affected Customers
 
Below is a list of customers who could potentially be affected by this PSPS event.

• Alameda County: 39,401 customers, 1,483 Medical Baseline customers
• Alpine County: 575 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Amador County: 10,448 customers, 805 Medical Baseline customers
• Butte County: 19,185 customers, 1,833 Medical Baseline customers
• Calaveras County: 19,329 customers, 967 Medical Baseline customers
• Colusa County: 565 customers, 32 Medical Baseline customers
• Contra Costa County: 20,148 customers, 957 Medical Baseline customers
• El Dorado County: 41,009 customers, 2,891 Medical Baseline customers
• Fresno County: 4,746 customers, 417 Medical Baseline customers
• Glenn County: 377 customers, 18 Medical Baseline customers
• Humboldt County: 6,712 customers, 232 Medical Baseline customers
• Kern County: 649 customers, 32 Medical Baseline customers
• Lake County: 31,590 customers, 2,613 Medical Baseline customers
• Lassen County: 989 customers, 50 Medical Baseline customers
• Madera County: 16,542 customers, 1,513 Medical Baseline customers
• Marin County: 19,626 customers, 608 Medical Baseline customers
• Mariposa County: 1,203 customers, 45 Medical Baseline customers
• Mendocino County: 10,038 customers, 552 Medical Baseline customers
• Monterey County: 242 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Napa County: 15,598 customers, 510 Medical Baseline customers
• Nevada County: 40,252 customers, 2,446 Medical Baseline customers
• Placer County: 18,060 customers, 1,117 Medical Baseline customers
• Plumas County: 9,370 customers, 429 Medical Baseline customers
• San Joaquin County: 10 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• San Mateo County: 4,458 customers, 120 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Clara County: 4,770 customers, 238 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Cruz County: 14,317 customers, 975 Medical Baseline customers
• Shasta County: 25,169 customers, 1,997 Medical Baseline customers
• Sierra County: 1,101 customers, 24 Medical Baseline customers
• Siskiyou County: 57 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Solano County: 1,606 customers, 100 Medical Baseline customers
• Sonoma County: 38,120 customers, 2,111 Medical Baseline customers
• Stanislaus County: 35 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Tehama County: 9,751 customers, 849 Medical Baseline customers
• Trinity County: 1,406 customers, 76 Medical Baseline customers
• Tuolumne County: 33,271 customers, 2,427 Medical Baseline customers
• Yolo County: 166 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Yuba County: 5,196 customers, 412 Medical Baseline customers
• Total*: 466,093 customers, 28,895 Medical Baseline customers

*The following Tribal Community counts are included within the County level detail above.

• Big Lagoon Rancheria Tribal Community: 7 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Big Sandy Rancheria Tribal Community: 61 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Chicken Ranch Rancheria Tribal Community: 0 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Cold Springs Rancheria Of Mono Indians Tribal Community: 0 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Cortina Rancheria Tribal Community: 8 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer
• Dry Creek Rancheria Tribal Community: 8 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Enterprise Rancheria Of Maidu Indians Tribal Community: 0 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Greenville Rancheria Tribal Community: 34 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Grindstone Rancheria Tribal Community: 49 customers, 3 Medical Baseline customers
• Hoopa Valley Tribe Tribal Community: 1,063 customers, 56 Medical Baseline customers
• Hopland Reservation Tribal Community: 86 customers, 11 Medical Baseline customers
• Jackson Rancheria Tribal Community: 28 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Karuk Tribe Tribal Community: 42 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Middletown Rancheria Tribal Community: 33 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Mooretown Rancheria Tribal Community: 107 customers, 7 Medical Baseline customers
• North Fork Rancheria Tribal Community: 25 customers, 3 Medical Baseline customers
• Picayune Rancheria Tribal Community: 30 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Pit River Tribe Tribal Community: Includes customers in Montgomery Creek Rancheria and Roaring Creek Rancheria. We do not have data on customer counts or Medical Baseline customers at this time.
• Robinson Rancheria Tribal Community: 96 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Round Valley Reservation Tribal Community: 646 customers, 34 Medical Baseline customers
• Sherwood Valley Ranch Tribal Community: 82 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Shingle Springs Rancheria Tribal Community: 54 customers, 3 Medical Baseline customers
• Stewarts Point Rancher Tribal Community: 22 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Tuolumne Rancheria Tribal Community: 112 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Upper Lake Rancheria Tribal Community: 28 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Yurok Tribe Tribal Community: 87 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers

Why PG&E Calls a PSPS Event
 
Due to forecasted extreme weather conditions, PG&E is considering proactively turning off power for safety. Windy conditions, like those being forecast, increase the potential for damage and hazards to PG&E’s electric infrastructure, which could cause sparks if lines are energized. These conditions also increase the potential for rapid fire spread.
 
“We’re seeing four extremes in the weather for this potential PSPS event: extremely high winds, extremely low humidity, extreme dry fuels due to the hottest average temperatures over the last six months according to records that go back 126 years, and extreme drought across the territory given lack of rainfall,” said PG&E’s Scott Strenfel, head of meteorology and fire science. “While temperatures are expected to drop heading into this event with cold weather expected in some areas, the high winds, low humidity, dry fuels and lack of rainfall continues to result in high fire hazard conditions.”
 
State officials classify more than half of PG&E’s 70,000-square-mile service area in Northern and Central California as having a high fire threat, given dry grasses and the high volume of dead and dying trees.
 
The state’s high-risk areas have tripled in size over the last seven years. No single factor drives a PSPS, as each situation is unique. PG&E carefully reviews a combination of many criteria when determining if power should be turned off for safety. These factors generally include, but are not limited to:
 

• Low humidity levels, generally 20 percent and below
• Forecasted sustained winds generally above 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately 45 mph, depending on location and site-specific conditions such as temperature, terrain and local climate
• A Red Flag Warning declared by the National Weather Service
• Condition of dry fuel on the ground and live vegetation (moisture content)
• On-the-ground, real-time observations from PG&E’s Wildfire Safety Operations Center and observations from PG&E field crews

 
So far this year, PG&E has called 4 PSPS events, each of which produced safety hazards on our equipment. If PG&E had not de-energized power lines, these types of damage could have caused wildfire ignitions.
 
Here’s Where to Go to Learn More
 

• PG&E’s emergency website pge.com/pspsupdates is now available in 13 languages. Currently, the website is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjabi and Japanese. Customers will have the opportunity to choose their language of preference for viewing the information when visiting the website. In addition,PG&E’s contact center has translation services available in over 200 languages. Customers who need in-language support over the phone can contact us by calling 1-833-208-4167.
• For additional language support services including how to set language preference, select options for obtaining translated notifications, and receive other translated resources on PSPS, customers can visit pge.com/pspslanguagehelp. This website is also available in 13 languages as listed above.
• Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-800-743-5000. PG&E’s contact center has translation services available in over 200 languages.
• Tenants and non-account holders can sign up to receive PSPS ZIP Code Alerts for any area where you do not have a PG&E account by visiting pge.com/pspszipcodealerts.
• PG&E has launched a new tool at its online Safety Action Center at safetyactioncenter.pge.com to help customers prepare. By using the "Make Your Own Emergency Plan" tool and answering a few short questions, visitors to the website can compile and organize the important information needed for a personalized family emergency plan.

 
Community Resource Centers Reflect COVID-Safety Protocols
 
PG&E will open Community Resource Centers (CRCs) to support our customers.
The sole purpose of a PSPS is to reduce the risk of major wildfires during severe weather. While a PSPS is an important wildfire safety tool, PG&E understands that losing power disrupts lives, especially for customers sheltering-at-home in response to COVID-19. These temporary CRCs will be open to customers when power is out at their homes and will provide ADA-accessible restrooms and hand-washing stations; medical-equipment charging; Wi-Fi; bottled water; and non-perishable snacks.
 
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all CRCs will follow important health and safety protocols including:

• Facial coverings and maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from those who are not part of the same household will be required at all CRCs.
• Temperature checks will be administered before entering CRCs that are located indoors.
• CRC staff will be trained in COVID-19 precautions and will regularly sanitize surfaces and use Plexiglass barriers at check-in. All CRCs will follow county and state requirements regarding COVID-19, including limits on the number of customers permitted indoors at any time.

 
Besides these health protocols, customers visiting a CRC in 2020 will experience further changes, including a different look and feel. In addition to using existing indoor facilities, PG&E is planning to open CRCs at outdoor, open-air sites in some locations and use large commercial vans as CRCs in other locations. CRC format will depend on a number of factors, including input from local and tribal leaders. Supplies also will be handed out in grab-and-go bags at outdoor CRCs so most customers can be on their way quickly.
 
How Customers Can Prepare for a PSPS
 
As part of PSPS preparedness efforts, PG&E suggests customers:

• Plan for medical needs like medications that require refrigeration or devices that need power.
• Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
• Build or restock your emergency kit with flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and cash.
• Keep in mind family members who are elderly, younger children and pets.

 
Prevention, Preparedness and Support
 
It is important that PG&E has your current contact information so you can be notified and better prepared if a wildfire or PSPS event may impact your home or business. To set up your alerts, visit pge.com/alerts.

With the increased wildfire threat our state faces, PG&E is enhancing and expanding our efforts to reduce wildfire risks and keep our customers and communities safe. Our Community Wildfire Safety Program includes short, medium and long-term plans to make our system safer. For tips on how to prepare for emergencies and outages, visit our Safety Action Center at safetyactioncenter.pge.com.
 
Essentially All Customers Restored from Oct. 21 PSPS Event
 
PG&E has restored power to essentially all customers who can receive service that were impacted by the PSPS event that started Wednesday evening (Oct. 21). PG&E called the PSPS event due to a high-wind event combined with low humidity and severely dry vegetation, which together created high risk of catastrophic wildfires.
 
The Oct. 21 PSPS event affected about 31,000 customers in targeted portions of 7 counties with the majority living in Shasta, Butte and Tehama counties.
 
The top three recorded wind gust speeds from this PSPS event were 56, 55, and 52 mph in Shasta, Contra Costa and Butte counties respectively, with humidity and fuel moisture levels remaining low.
 
About 2,000 personnel were working on the ground or in 36 helicopters inspecting lines for damage or hazards.
 
About PG&E
 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
 
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January 1, 2021
In 2019, the State Board of Fire Service (SBFS) and Statewide Training and Education Advisory Committee (STEAC) approved the State Fire Training (SFT) Fee Report which outlined the need to adjust the fees for several SFT services. On September 3, 2020, these new fees were adopted into regulation and were filed with the Secretary of State, which will become effective on January 1, 2021. 

During these uncertain times, SFT acknowledges that the implementation of the new fees may seem inopportune. However, in 2016, several years before the pandemic crisis, SFT identified that program survivability warranted a review of the 2008 fees paid by stakeholders and began working on this fee adjustment project. SFT is a self-funded program; paid for by participant fees. SFT collects fees for services provided including course diplomas, applying for certification, taking certification exams, and Accredited Local Academy (ALA) and Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP) accreditations, etc. SFT’s last fee adjustment was more than 11 years ago and in the years since 2008, SFT’s operating costs have increased within the day-to-day operations of the program; which include the increase in staffing, curriculum development, and the implementation and maintenance of the SFT User Portal.

All certification applications and courses which occur on or after January 1, 2021, will follow the fee schedule outlined below. The new fees can be found in the link below. 

Download a copy of the new Fee Schedule