Analysis Item 10: Military Department Solar Eclipse Response Costs

Transcription

1 Analysis Item 10: Military Department Solar Eclipse Response Costs Analyst: Julie Neburka Request: Appropriate $260,724 from the General Fund to the Oregon Military Department to reimburse the agency for costs incurred during the planning and execution of the state s response plan associated with the solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, Recommendation: The Legislative Fiscal Office recommends that the Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means recommend the Military Department s General Fund appropriation for Emergency Management be increased by $260,724, for the biennium only, in a budget reconciliation bill during the 2018 legislative session for eclipse response expenses. Analysis: The Oregon Military Department (OMD) played several roles in the state s response to the total solar eclipse on August 21, The Office of Emergency Management (OEM), along with city, county, and tribal emergency management agencies began planning more than a year ago for the influx of visitors to Oregon for the eclipse, the increased travel within the state to ensure a viewing spot within the path of totality, and planned events on public and private lands. The eclipse offered an opportunity to model and practice many disaster response activities, including developing communication strategies, public safety messaging, and establishing roles and responsibilities across the emergency response support structure statewide. In response to the Governor s Executive Order 17-14, declaring a state of emergency to facilitate eclipse preparedness and readiness, the Oregon National Guard placed 155 soldiers and airmen on State Active Duty status from August 20-22, 2017, primarily to assist local jurisdictions with traffic access control in Baker, Clackamas, Grant, Lincoln, and Marion counties. Helicopters were stationed in Baker, Marion, and Deschutes counties to support potential Medevac and/or search and rescue missions, and trucks and other equipment were deployed statewide. Costs incurred for the threeday deployment include: State Active Duty pay $154,759 National Guard equipment 48,427 EMAC Costs0F1 40,434 Office of Emergency Management 8,747 Fuel and Meals 8,357 TOTAL Expenses $260,724 The federal government will reimburse the state for from 75% to 100% of the response costs associated with events resulting in a federal disaster declaration. The eclipse, however, was not declared a federal disaster and therefore is not eligible for federal reimbursement other than OEM s 1 Emergency Management Assistance Compact, ORS , which allows states to provide mutual assistance during emergency-related exercises, testing, or training activities. For the eclipse, Oregon requested a Blackhawk helicopter from California, which was stationed in Baker City on August Legislative Fiscal Office Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means November 2017

2 expenditure of $8,747, which can be matched at a 50% rate through the federal Emergency Management Planning Grant (EMPG) program. The agency is not funded for longer-term activation of the Emergency Coordination Center, and has incurred significant State Active Duty expense in 2017 for soldiers and airmen deployed to fight wildfires during the recent fire season. OMD s General Fund appropriations will not be adequate to absorb the expenses incurred during the eclipse. The Legislative Fiscal Office recommends that the Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means recommend the Military Department s General Fund appropriation for Emergency Management be increased by $260,724, for the biennium only, in a budget reconciliation bill during the 2018 legislative session for eclipse response expenses, with the understanding that the amount may need adjustment depending on the statewide budget rebalance for the biennium. Legislative Fiscal Office Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means November 2017

3 10 Oregon Military Department Ball Request: Appropriate $260,724 from the General Fund for costs incurred during the planning and execution of the state s response plan associated with the Solar Eclipse on August 21, Recommendation: Approve the request during the 2018 Legislative Session. Discussion: On August 21, 2017, the Solar Eclipse passed over Oregon, providing a rare and unique viewing opportunity as the eclipse passed across the entire state. It was expected the event would cause a rapid influx of visitors from outside the state along with substantial movement of Oregonians towards the eclipse s path of totality. Governor Brown signed two Executive Orders in the weeks leading up to the event to ensure coordinated planning efforts, as well as to facilitate preparedness and readiness to protect life and safety during the Solar Eclipse. Through the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), the Oregon Military Department (OMD) coordinated and lead planning efforts well in advance of the Solar Eclipse. Coordination efforts included Oregon Emergency Response agencies, along with city, county and tribal emergency management agencies. These entities conducted a comprehensive joint planning process, establishing strong communication strategies, developing public safety messaging, ascertaining the needs of local communities, briefing executive and legislative leadership on planning status and needs, as well as utilizing tools to ensure a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Due to the projected influx of visitors from outside the state along with the movement of Oregonians towards the eclipse s path of totality, Oregon National Guard assets were deployed to protect life and safety during the event and to assist local law enforcement in maintaining a smooth flow of traffic. On August 19, Oregon National Guard members from various armories across the state were placed into State Active Duty and received initial mission briefings and conducted other administrative processes. Deployment occurred on August 20 and all traffic control missions were completed and all teams and equipment were returned to their home stations on August 22. Additionally, four aviation assets were available to respond if necessary, during the time surrounding the Solar Eclipse. This included two Blackhawk helicopters primarily for medevac purposes and two Lakota helicopters primarily for search and rescue purposes. Three of the helicopters were Oregon National Guard resources and one (Blackhawk) was provided by the California National Guard through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. While on State Active Duty, soldiers and airmen become temporary state employees and are paid on a daily rate. In addition, the OMD is obligated to reimburse the United States Property and Fiscal Office for its use of federal equipment. In total, OMD incurred $260,724 in unbudgeted expenses associated with its planning, preparedness and support role surrounding the event. The Chief Financial Office recommends approval of OMD s request and recommends the Legislature appropriate $260,724 General Fund to reimburse OMD for costs incurred during the planning and execution of the state s response plan associated with the Solar Eclipse on August 21, Department of Administrative Services 10-i November 15, 2017

4 Legal Reference: Allocation of $251,977 General Fund to supplement the appropriation made by chapter 566, section 1(2), Oregon Laws 2017, for the Oregon Military Department, Operations Program for the biennium. Allocation of $8,747 General Fund to supplement the appropriation made by chapter 566, section 1(3), Oregon Laws 2017, for the Oregon Military Department, Emergency Management Program for the biennium. Department of Administrative Services 10-ii November 15, 2017

5 OREGON MILITARY DEPARTMENT JOINT FORCE HEADQUARTERS, OREGON NATIONAL GUARD DEPUTY DIRECTOR STATE AFFAIRS 1776 MILITIA WAY SE P.O. BOX SALEM, OREGON October 16, 2017 The Honorable Senator Richard Devlin, Co-Chair The Honorable Representative Nancy Nathanson, Co-Chair Interim Joint Committee on Ways and Means 900 Court Street NE H-178 State Capitol Salem, OR Dear Co-Chairpersons: Nature of the Request The Oregon Military Department requests $260,724 General Fund appropriation to reimburse the agency for costs incurred during the planning and execution of the state s response plan associated with the Solar Eclipse occurring on August 21, Agency Action The Oregon Military Department s Office of Emergency Management and the Oregon National Guard were heavily involved in Oregon s planning and response to the Solar Eclipse which passed through the state on August 21 beginning at 9:04 am, and leaving the state at 11:46 am. This 2 hour and 42 minute window was the culmination of over a year of planning efforts, and the deployment of 155 Oregon National Guard members on State Active Duty to multiple areas throughout the state. During the planning phase, which started over a year before the eclipse occurred, Oregon Emergency Response agencies, along with City, County and Tribal emergency management entities began a coordinated effort through the Office of Emergency Management to prepare for an anticipated influx of one million visitors to Oregon. The emergency management community viewed this as an opportunity to exercise its capabilities in an environment that mirrored the requirements of an actual disaster response. This included conducting a comprehensive joint planning process, establishing strong communication strategies, developing public safety messaging, ascertaining the needs of local communities, briefing executive and legislative leadership on planning status and needs, as well as utilizing tools to ensure a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities across the Emergency Support Function (ESF) structure. As the date of the eclipse grew closer, local requests for Oregon National Guard assistance began to grow. Based on direction from the Governor s office (See Executive Orders and enclosed), the Office of Emergency Management, in coordination with the Joint Operations Center, developed a strategy to pre-position National Guard assets in the following counties:

6 General Fund for Eclipse Costs October 16, 2017 Page 2 Baker Clackamas Deschutes Grant Lincoln Marion Assets utilized in the above mentioned counties included: 155 National Guard soldiers/airmen 48 High Back Cargo Cover vehicles 2 HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters 2 UH-72 Lakota helicopters The primary mission to be conducted by National Guard members was traffic access control, helping local law enforcement maintain a smooth flow of traffic through their jurisdictions. This mission was to be conducted in Baker, Clackamas, Grant, Lincoln, and Marion counties. The aviation assets were to perform standby duty in Baker and Deschutes counties to support potential MEDEVAC and search & rescue missions. The mission windows associated with the solar eclipse were identified as August for Traffic Access Control and August for the aviation missions. These missions were approved by the Governor and then briefed to Legislative leadership during a conference call on August 9. The approval from the Governor authorized the Oregon Military Department (OMD) to put all National Guard members associated with these missions into State Active Duty status making them temporary state employees. It also obligated OMD to reimburse the United States Property and Fiscal Office (USPFO) for the cost of the equipment used. This process is exactly the same as the one followed by OMD and the Department of Forestry through the execution of OPLAN SMOKEY for wildfire response. Oregon National Guard members in State Active Duty status assigned to traffic access control missions mobilized on August 19 at various armories across the state where they received initial mission briefings and conducted other administrative processes. Deployment occurred on August 20, and all National Guard members were conducting missions on August 21. All traffic access control missions were completed, along with the return of all teams and equipment to home stations, by the end of the day on August 22. Oregon National Guard members in State Active Duty status assigned to standby aviation missions mobilized on August 20 in Salem where they received an initial mission briefing, and conducted other administrative processes. Deployment occurred on August 20 with one HH-60 Blackhawk flying to Redmond for prepositioning. The two UH-72 Lakotas were stationed in Salem, and a second HH-60, provided by the California National Guard through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, was stationed in Baker City. All National Guard members were ready to perform missions on August 21. By the end of that day, no missions were required,

7 General Fund for Eclipse Costs October 16, 2017 Page 3 and with the exception of the HH-60 provided by California, all teams and equipment were returned to home station that day. The California team flew home on August 22. Coordinating eclipse missions, along with monitoring and supporting local emergency operation centers (EOCs), was the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). OEM activated the state Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) on August 19 and remained active until August 22. The activation included participation of representatives from across state government, along with a Federal Coordinating Officer from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Additionally, OEM deployed county liaisons to the EOCs in Baker City, John Day, Newport, and Redmond. These liaisons acted as conduits back to the state ECC to ensure information was flowing and that needs were being addressed. The Oregon Military Department is not budgeted to incur State Active Duty costs outside of those associated with OPLAN SMOKEY, under which the Oregon Department of Forestry is contractually obligated to reimburse us. The breakout of General Fund eclipse support costs is as follows: Cost Category Cost State Active Duty Pay $154,759 National Guard Equipment $48,427 EMAC Costs $40,434 Office of Emergency Management $8,747 Fuel & Meals $8,357 Total $260,724 Oregon Military Department eclipse costs have been financed through the use of General Fund appropriated to the Operations Program and the Emergency Management Program. The Operations Program is responsible for the management of over 3.4 million square feet of real estate across the state. General Fund within the Operations Program has been further impacted by acting as the financing mechanism for State Active Duty costs associated with wildfire, and while the Department of Forestry will reimburse for actual costs, there is a time delay due to the billing and reconciliation process. To date, 80% of the biennial General Fund for the Operations Program has been used to cover State Active Duty costs. This is impacting our ability to process payments for recurring costs such as utilities, construction payments, and payroll. The Emergency Management Program, while responsible for coordination of statewide emergency response and recovery actions, is not budgeted to finance long term activations of the Emergency Coordination Center, or provide liaison services to local jurisdictions for events which will not result in a federal disaster declaration. In the instance of a federal disaster declaration, the federal government will, in most cases, allow for the response costs to be

8 General Fund for Eclipse Costs October 16, 2017 Page 4 covered in some manner with federal funds, traditionally 75%, but sometimes as high as 100%. In the case of the eclipse, there is no mechanism for additional federal support outside of the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) which matched the $8,747 in General Fund costs previously identified to help minimize the cost. Reimbursement of the General Fund will allow OEM to leverage additional EMPG funds later in the biennium. Action Requested Increase General Fund appropriation in the Operations Program by $251,977. Increase General Fund appropriation in the Emergency Management Program by $8,747. Legislation Affected Operations Program General Fund Section 1 (2), Chapter 566, Oregon Laws 2017 OEM General Fund Section 1 (3), Chapter 566, Oregon Laws 2017 Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Enclosures: Executive Orders No and David A. Stuckey Deputy Director Oregon Military Department

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