More Counties Approved for Federal Infrastructure Assistance

AUSTIN – Federal disaster assistance has been approved for six more Texas counties, mainly in East Texas, as a result of wildfires that swept through the state beginning Aug. 30. That announcement came Thursday from the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The latest amendment to the Sept. 9 major disaster declaration adds Anderson, Henderson, Hill, Marion, Smith and Upshur counties to the list of nine already approved for federal cost-share reimbursements under FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program. The other counties are Bastrop, Cherokee, Colorado, Gregg, Harrison, Houston, Leon, Rusk and Walker.

The PA program helps reimburse applicants in the designated counties for the cost of removing disaster-related debris from public rights of way, and for measures taken by state and local emergency responders to protect lives and property before, during and after the fires. The program also helps defray the cost of repairing roads, public buildings, utilities, schools and other public infrastructure damaged or destroyed as a result of the wildfires.

Supplementary funding under the PA program goes to the state and its agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Under the program, FEMA obligates funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs, while the state or applicant covers the remaining 25 percent. The state then forwards the funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs. Go to
http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/index.shtm for more information about the PA program.