FEMA Approves Additional Winter Storm Assistance For Some Texas Counties While Others Remain in Need

AUSTIN — FEMA Approves Additional Winter Storm Assistance For Some Texas Counties While Others Remain in Need AUSTIN -- The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved 44 of 254 Texas counties for all categories of federal Public Assistance in connection with the White House's major disaster declaration for the February Winter Storm.

“We appreciate the federal government’s recognition that Texans were affected by the winter storm and are grateful for the disaster assistance that has been approved thus far, but we believe the data shows Texas meets the federal thresholds for additional assistance,” TDEM Chief Nim Kidd stated. “We look forward to working with FEMA to ensure all Texas counties impacted by the storm receive the federal support they need.”

The complete federal Public Assistance program provides grants for a variety of public sector services, including debris removal (Category A), emergency protective measures (Category B), as well as permanent infrastructure work including roads and bridges (Category C), water control facilities (Category D), public buildings and equipment (Category E), utilities (Category F), and parks & recreational facilities (Category G).

The 44 counties approved for all categories (A-G) of FEMA Public Assistance include: Austin, Bastrop, Blanco, Borden, Cherokee, Coke, Crosby, Dawson, Delta, DeWitt,
Dickens, Edwards, Erath, Falls, Garza, Gillespie, Gonzales, Houston, Irion, Kerr, Kimble, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Llano, Lynn, Mason, Menard, Milam, Motley, Nacogdoches, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Real, Red River, Sabine, San Augustine, Schleicher, Shelby, Sterling, Taylor, Tom Green, Walker, and Washington.

Additionally, Irion County and Taylor County were approved for snow assistance under the federal Public Assistance program.

Initially, FEMA approved only assistance for emergency protective measures (Category B) in all 254 Texas counties. Over the course of the following months, TDEM worked with local officials to gather supporting documentation and justify the need for all categories of federal Public Assistance. TDEM submitted the additional documentation to FEMA on July 30th, requesting all categories of federal Public Assistance is made available statewide.

Last week, FEMA determined the damage to infrastructure was not of the severity and magnitude to warrant designation for additional Public Assistance for the following 210 counties:

Anderson, Andrews, Angelina, Aransas, Archer, Armstrong, Atascosa, Bailey, Bandera, Baylor, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Briscoe, Brooks, Brown, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Camp, Carson, Cass, Castro, Chambers, Childress, Clay, Cochran, Coleman, Collin, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, Coryell, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Dallam, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Denton, Dimmit, Donley, Duval, Eastland, Ector, Ellis, El Paso, Fannin, Fayette, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Glasscock, Goliad, Gray, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hale, Hall, Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hartley, Haskell, Hays, Hemphill, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hockley, Hood, Hopkins, Howard, Hudspeth, Hunt, Hutchinson, Jack, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Johnson, Jones, Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kennedy, Kent, King, Kinney, Kleberg, Knox, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, La Salle, Liberty, Limestone, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Loving, Lubbock, Madison, Marion, Martin, Matagorda, Maverick, McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Midland, Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Montgomery, Moore, Morris, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Ochiltree, Oldham, Orange, Panola, Parker, Parmer, Pecos, Polk, Potter, Presidio, Rains, Randall, Reagan, Reeves, Refugio, Roberts, Robertson, Rockwall, Runnels, Rusk, San Jacinto, San Patricio, San Saba, Scurry, Shackelford, Sherman, Smith, Somervell, Starr, Stephens, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Tarrant, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Waller, Ward, Webb, Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wise, Wood, Yoakum, Young, Zapata and Zavala.

Local officials wishing to appeal FEMA’s determination are asked to submit additional disaster costs through their TDEM District Coordinator/Recovery Coordinator by October 1st, so that TDEM can submit a final appeal for the much-needed federal assistance.