Governor Abbott Announces Additional Disaster Assistance Approved In Presidential Disaster Declaration For Severe Storms, Flooding

TEXAS, May 23 - May 23, 2024 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that President Joe Biden amended the Presidential Disaster Declaration for Texas counties impacted by severe weather and flooding that began on April 26.

"Today's partial approval for FEMA assistance will help provide critical aid to communities across our state who have been impacted by recent severe storms," said Governor Abbott. "I thank our federal partners for continuing to work with us to ensure Texans have the resources needed to recover and rebuild.”

This partial approval authorizes all categories of work under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance program for seven designated counties to utilize grant funding for emergency work and repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public infrastructure. The grant funding afforded under FEMA’s Public Assistance program assists in covering jurisdictional expenses for debris removal, emergency protective measures, roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and contents, public utilities, parks, recreational, and other facilities.

The counties eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance program include: Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, and Walker. The Governor’s request for 21 additional counties for FEMA’s Public Assistance program remains under review. Governor Abbott continues to direct the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to work with local, state, and federal partners to ensure all other Texas counties that meet their federally-set Public Assistance thresholds are added to this federal declaration.

Additionally, FEMA has approved the request from the State of Texas to add additional counties to the Presidential Disaster Declaration, granting eligibility for FEMA’s Individual Assistance programs for those counties. Qualifying Texans who have been impacted are eligible to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program funding to assist with expenses such as temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster. Counties approved for Individual Assistance programs now include Calhoun, Eastland, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, and Waller counties. Texans can apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

At the Governor’s direction and following a review of damage assessments in additional impacted communities which show they exceed federal criteria for disaster assistance, Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd has requested the addition of Bell County to become eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance programs.

Impacted Texans are encouraged to report damage using TDEM’s Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) surveys online at damage.tdem.texas.gov. These self-submitted surveys help officials connect affected Texans with recovery resources and assist with determining eligibility for federal disaster assistance.

Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities from the impacts of severe weather, including:

• Readying state emergency response resources on April 25 ahead of wildfire and severe weather threats.
• Issuing a disaster declaration on April 30 for counties affected by recent storms and deploying additional state emergency response resources in anticipation of severe weather and flooding. The Governor first amended his disaster declaration on May 2, updated it further on May 7, amended it again on May 15, and added additional counties on May 20.
• Increasing the readiness level of the State Emergency Operations Center to help support local officials with requests for state assistance.
• Holding a briefing on May 6 with local and state officials from impacted areas and providing an update on the state’s robust response efforts in support of local communities.
• Requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration on May 15 for Texas communities impacted by severe storms.
• Securing partial approval of a Presidential Disaster Declaration on May 17 for areas of the state affected by severe weather.
• Requesting additional counties be added to the Presidential Disaster Declaration on May 19 for Texas communities impacted by severe storms.
• Providing an update on the state’s response and recovery efforts in impacted communities.