Siskiyou County officials shouldn't hold their breath waiting for a requested emergency declaration.
That's the message from Gov. Jerry Brown's office.
State senator Ted Gaines asked for the emergency declaration, so the governor could send the National Guard to help crack down on illegal cannabis farms.
But it seems the Guard will not be coming.
In response to an inquiry from JPR News, Brian Ferguson in the governor’s office emailed, “We’re pleased Senator Gaines has decided to engage on this issue. Unfortunately, his press releases and helicopter tours won’t solve this problem.”
In a followup email, Ferguson noted that according to statute, " ... emergency declarations are only intended to mitigate the effects of 'natural disaster or war-caused emergencies.' I don’t anticipate our office will be issuing a formal response to the letter."
Ferguson said the governor’s office is already heavily involved in protecting people and the environment affected by cannabis cultivation.
Siskiyou County supervisors declared a local state of emergency in mid-September, saying illegal cannabis grow operations were overwhelming local law enforcement capabilities.