UPDATE 2/22:
FEMA has approved an additional 31 Texas counties to be added to President Biden's Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance. Originally, only 77 of the 264 counties in Texas were approved for Individual Assistance.
In a release, Gov. Greg Abbott said additional counties will continue to be re-requested for Individual Assistance approval. Filling out the Texas Division of Emergency Management's Texas Individual Assistance Reporting Tool will help officials and FEMA assess and understand the scope of the damages from the winter storm.
The 31 new counties approved for Individual Assistance are listed below.
Anderson, Austin, Bosque, Bowie, Burnet, Cherokee, Colorado, Erath, Fannin, Freestone, Gonzales, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Hill, Houston, Hunt, Jackson, Jim Wells, Jones, Limestone, Lubbock, Medina, Milam, Navarro, Rusk, Taylor, Tom Green, Val Verde, Washington, Wood.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Governor Greg Abbott announced Saturday morning that President Biden has partially approved Texas' request for a Major Disaster Declaration after below freezing temperatures shut off electricity for millions of Texans and caused hundreds of cities to enact water boils as cold conditions broke water lines and depleted water resources.
Abbott requested Individual and Public Assistance for all 254 counties in Texas. President Biden approved Individual Assistance for 77 counties and Public Assistance for all 254 counties.
According to FEMA’s website, Individual Assistance is “ provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency directly to eligible individuals and families who have sustained losses due to disasters”, while Public Assistance “can reimburse for emergency protective measures, debris removal, and infrastructure repairs or replacement needed due to disaster-related damage”.
"I thank President Biden for his assistance as we respond to impacts of winter weather across our state," said Governor Abbott in a release. "While this partial approval is an important first step, Texas will continue to work with our federal partners to ensure all eligible Texans have access to the relief they need. The funds provided under the Major Disaster Declaration may provide crucial assistance to Texans as they begin to repair their homes and address property damage.”
The individual counties who were granted individual assistance are listed below.
Angelina, Aransas, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Collin, Comal, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, DeWitt, Ellis, Falls, Fort Bend, Galveston, Gillespie, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hood, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kaufman, Kendall, Lavaca, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Maverick, McLennan, Montague, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Nueces, Orange, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Polk, Rockwall, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Scurry, Shelby, Smith, Stephens, Tarrant, Travis, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wharton, Wichita, Williamson, Wilson, and Wise Counties.
For more information on what qualifies as Individual and Public Assistance, click HERE. Individuals and business owners in counties listed above can begin apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.govor by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585
