Texas Awarded Federal Funds To Reduce Flood Losses In Liberty County
Release Date: September 29, 2006
Release Number: 1606-261
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AUSTIN, Texas -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $3 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to the State of Texas to buy homes repeatedly subject to flood damage in Liberty County.
The project involves voluntary acquisition and demolition of 138 properties in the 100-year Trinity River floodplain area. Liberty County residents submitted more than $5 million in National Flood Insurance claims between 1978 and 1995. Acquisition and demolition of the identified properties will greatly reduce or eliminate the threat to life and property in the proposed project area. Once the project is completed, the land will remain open space.
Authorized under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, the HMGP provides funds to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. Grant funds may be used to fund projects that will reduce or eliminate losses from future disasters. This grant is under the disaster declaration for Hurricane Rita.
Projects must provide a long-term solution to a problem, and a project’s potential savings must be more than the cost of implementing the project. HMGP is administered through a coordinated effort between FEMA, the State and the sub-grantee, in this case, Liberty County.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Sunday, 01-Oct-2006 01:32:11