Part 2/9:
The discussion begins with a consensus on leadership failures at both the state and local levels concerning water resource management and forest management – issues identified as crucial factors contributing to the disasters. Critics are adamant that funds should not simply be funneled into what they perceive as a "broken system." It is argued that before any financial assistance is dispatched, there must be upstream reforms to ensure better preparedness for future disasters. Several lawmakers insisted on the necessity of conditioning the release of federal disaster funds on the promise of reform in California's handling of its environmental management practices.