Healdsburg, CA – Senators Mike McGuire and Bill Dodd and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry will unite their respective Select Committees on Wine for a hearing in Sonoma County’s Wine Country to discuss wildfire recovery following the devastating North Bay Firestorm and receive a report on water supply issues.

The hearing will be held this Friday, April 6 in Healdsburg and will include panels of experts testifying about the impacts of the fires, discussing how the firestorm has affected the tourism industry, and providing updates on current water supply issues.

Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Wine, said: "The Fall 2017 wildfires took a major toll on our communities, and the lack of winter rainfall this year only exacerbates the challenges. The wine industry is critical to the recovery of local jobs, business, and tourism in our region. I’m looking forward to this third Joint-Select Committee Hearing to hear status reports on impacts and recovery from state and regional players, and to map out our strategies to bring state resources and policies forward to assist in rebuilding efforts."

“We are now six months into the recovery from the devastating North Bay Firestorm and the long-term impacts are still being realized,” Senator McGuire said. “We’re looking forward to bringing wine and tourism leaders together to hear first-hand what they are experiencing in the wake of the historic disaster and we’ll hear about their robust plans focused on letting the world know our communities are open for business.”

“It’s critical that the state supports efforts that address critical issues, such as improving drought preparedness and wildfire recovery,” said Senator Dodd. “This hearing will help identify current needs, best practices, and how the state can work collaboratively to implement solutions.

Hearing details:

WHAT: Legislative Wine Committee Joint Hearing

WHEN: Friday, April 6 at 10 am

WHERE: Healdsburg City Hall, 401 Grove Street, Healdsburg

WHO: Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, Assembly Select Committee on Wine, and wine industry experts

A complete list of speakers will be released later this week.

The hearing will also be livestreamed at: http://cawine.senate.ca.gov/

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