The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is providing the public with an opportunity to comment on the current draft of the 2010 Ventura County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, local entities are required to prepare a hazard mitigation plan.  In addition to addressing local mitigation planning requirements, the plan enables participating jurisdictions and special districts to receive grant funding from FEMA.  The 2010 Ventura County Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed to re-assess local hazards and identify ways to reduce those risks.  Once approved, this plan will formally replace the current 2005 Ventura County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The two-week public comment period will be open from October 20, 2010 through November 3, 2010.  Residents may go to www.countyofventura.org/disasterinformation and click on the Hazard Mitigation link to view the current 2010 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Comments regarding the plan may be submitted via email to gil.zavlodaver@ventura.org or sent to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services at 800 S. Victoria Ave. # 3450, Ventura, CA 93009.

Jurisdictions and special districts participating in the plan development include: County of Ventura; City of Camarillo; City of Moorpark; City of Ojai; City of Oxnard; City of Port Hueneme; City of Santa Paula; City of Thousand Oaks; City of Ventura; California State University Channel Islands; Calleguas Municipal Water District; Casitas Municipal Water District; Channel Islands Beach Community Services District; Conejo Recreation and Park District; Ojai Valley Sanitary District; United Water Conservation District; Ventura County Community College District; Ventura County Fire Protection District; Ventura County Watershed Protection District; and the Ventura County Office of Education, on behalf of the public school districts within the County.

For questions or additional information, please contact Laura Hernandez at (805) 654-2552 or via email at laura.hernandez@ventura.org.