– Governor Greg Abbott
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting a major disaster declaration for ten Texas counties to assist in recovery efforts following Hurricane Laura. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) previously granted the state's request for a Federal Emergency Declaration ahead of Hurricane Laura's landfall in Texas.
In his letter, the Governor specifically requested Individual Assistance for individuals and households, crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance, disaster case management, disaster legal services, and Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance. The Governor also requested Public Assistance for Debris Removal (Category A), Emergency Protective Measures (Category B), Permanent Work (Categories C-G), and Direct Federal Assistance for the counties of Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton, Orange, Sabine, and Shelby. The Governor also requested the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide.
"Texans are resilient and will continue to meet the challenges brought by disasters head-on, but federal assistance is greatly needed in order to enable our communities to bounce back quickly," reads the letter. "The state of Texas and these communities specifically are contributors and drivers of a strong American economy. Providing the assistance needed to allow these individuals and communities to swiftly and completely recover from Hurricane Laura will benefit the overall economic health of our country."
View the Governor's letter.
Governor Abbott requests major Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Hanna
Governor Greg Abbott also sent a letter to President Trump requesting a major disaster declaration for five counties in Texas following the impact of Hurricane Hanna. The Governor specifically requested Public Assistance for Debris Removal (Category A), Emergency Protective Measures (Category B), Permanent Work (Categories C-G), and Direct Federal Assistance for the counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Kleberg, Nueces, and Willacy. The Governor also requested the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide.
"In addition to Hurricane Hanna, the state of Texas is currently engaged in response efforts for the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exhausted many of the state’s resources," reads the letter. "These response and recovery efforts are in addition to recovery efforts for Hurricane Laura, which made landfall along the Texas-Louisiana boarder on August 27, 2020, Tropical Storm Beta and five other major disasters over the last three years. The state of Texas has had more federal disaster declarations than any other state, which does not account for the numerous state disasters that did not meet federal thresholds and requirements."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) previously granted Texas' request for a Federal Emergency Declaration following Hurricane Hanna's landfall in Texas.
View the Governor's letter.
