Oct. 27 (UPI) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Tuesday to help protect the Pacific Coast Highway and nearby communities from upcoming El Nino storms.
Newsom declared a state of emergency in late September ahead of the El Nino season, which is expected to be one of the strongest on record. Tuesday’s order directs state agencies to prioritize preventive work before storms hit and starts plans to protect the highway and coast from growing climate change threats.
“Highway 1 is more than our nation’s most iconic roadway,” Newsom said in a statement. “It keeps our coastal economy moving. It gets people to work, children to school, goods to local businesses, first responders where they’re needed most and visitors to our legendary beaches.”
California State Route 1, called the Pacific Coast Highway, runs along most of the state’s coast. It’s both a scenic route and a major thoroughfare for the state. The order establishes a task force to prepare the highway for storms and longer-term climate change risks.
Newsom signed the order Tuesday at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. He also signed another executive order building on the September order and adopting more measures to help communities prepare for the storm season.
“We know what repeated closures cost these communities, and we’re putting state agencies to work now to reduce the danger before storms hit,” Newsom said in the statement.
El Nino is a natural climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration said. El Nino events can occur every two to seven years and are associated with wetter weather and increased flooding in certain areas, including California.
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