The county approved $10.1 million in settlement funds with Southern California Edison to repair roadways that were used and abused by heavy machinery during the 1/9 Debris Flow recovery. Officials said certain Montecito and Carpinteria routes sustained 10-20 years’ worth of wear and tear in just a few short months. Santa Barbara County incurred an estimated $94 million in total expenses preparing for and responding to the disaster.
While some costs were paid directly by the state and federal government to the county’s fire and public-works departments, officials continue to seek reimbursements from FEMA’s Public Assistance program and Cal OES’s California Disaster Assistance Act.
The $10.1 million is part of a larger $28.1 million settlement from Edison. The county is setting aside $5 million of the $28.1 million for continuing litigation with Edison.
Correction: This story has been corrected from its original posting to reflect that $10.1 million from Edison, not the full $28.1 million settlement, will be used for road repairs.