FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2007
CONTACT: Geoff Embler or Matt Mackowiak
Senator Hutchison Announces FEMA Expands Individual, Public Flooding Assistance to Eight Texas Counties
Federal Assistance Funds Now Available in more than 27 Counties
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has increased the number of counties eligible for public and individual assistance from the flooding that occurred in Texas beginning June 16.
“I am pleased FEMA has included these additional counties so Texans in those communities can get the help they need to repair and rebuild,” said Sen. Hutchison. “I’ll continue working with the federal, state and local government to make sure Texas gets the resources it needs.”
The additional eight counties that are now eligible for Public Assistance (PA) funds are Bee, Denton, Medina, Parker, Runnels, Smith, Starr, and Tarrant. In addition to these eight counties, there are 34 counties currently eligible for PA funds: Archer, Baylor, Brown, Bosque, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hamilton, Hunt, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Mills, Montague, San Saba, Stephens, Victoria, Webb, Wichita, Williamson, and Wise.
PA funds are intended to help repair and restore damaged infrastructure and can be used for debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and the repair or replacement of damaged public facilities such as roads, buildings, and utilities.
The additional two counties that are now eligible for Individual Assistance (IA) funds are Bee and Medina counties. In addition to Bee and Medina counties, there are 25 counties currently eligible for IA funds: Archer, Bell, Brown, Burnet, Cherokee, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Hamilton, Hood, Lampasas, Llano, Parker, Runnels, Smith, Starr, Tarrant, Travis, Victoria, Webb, Wichita, and Williamson.
According to FEMA, IA funds can be used for “temporary housing, home repairs, and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may be available to help renters, homeowners, and businesses recover from losses not fully compensated by insurance.”
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