Newsom’s second order adds measures for storm-season preparation
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the highway protection order on Tuesday at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. The executive order directs state agencies to prioritize preventive work before storms hit and starts plans to protect the highway and coast from growing climate change threats.
Newsom’s order establishes a task force to prepare California State Route 1, also called the Pacific Coast Highway, for storms and longer-term climate change risks. State Route 1 runs along most of California’s coast and serves as both a scenic route and a major thoroughfare for the state.
Newsom said in a statement, “Highway 1 is more than our nation’s most iconic roadway.” He said, “It keeps our coastal economy moving. It gets people to work, children to school, goods to local businesses, first responders where they’re needed most and visitors to our legendary beaches.”
The highway order came after Newsom declared a state of emergency in late September, ahead of the El Niño season. UPI reported that the season was expected to be one of the strongest on record.
Newsom also signed another executive order that builds on the September action and adopts more measures to help communities prepare for the storm season.
Newsom said, “We know what repeated closures cost these communities, and we’re putting state agencies to work now to reduce the danger before storms hit.”
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration described El Niño as a natural climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide. The agency said events can occur every two to seven years.
The agency said El Niño events are associated with wetter weather and increased flooding in certain areas, including California. The highway order covers immediate storm preparation and longer-term planning for climate threats, while the second order adds community storm-season measures.