Fresno County has joined a coalition of Central Valley counties requesting a statewide emergency drought declaration in a letter to be presented to Governor Gavin Newsom.

The letter by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Andreas Borgeas has also attracted support from San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Kings, Tulare, and Kern counties.

Borgeas began circulating the request in early April after the state’s Department of Water Resources  announced reductions in water deliveries to Central Valley rights holders.

“We’ve been here before! This time we need to get ahead of the crisis,” said Steve Brandau, chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in a news release. “A declaration of drought emergency would be a good start.”

Copy of Letter