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Harris County, TX, May 23, 2024 — Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced today that Harris County has been awarded Public Assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the derecho that struck the area last week. This funding will provide crucial support for the county's ongoing recovery efforts.

FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program is a grant program that provides federal aid to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as certain private non-profit organizations after a federally declared disaster. It is FEMA’s largest grant program, designed to assist communities in saving lives, protecting property, and restoring community infrastructure affected by disasters. Eligible projects may include repairs to roads, bridges, water control facilities, public buildings, public utilities, and parks.

"We are incredibly grateful for this federal support. They have given us all the aid possible to help us accelerate our recovery efforts. I recently visited Sinclair Elementary School and saw the damage first hand-45 trees down, multiple classrooms destroyed. With this qualification of aid, this assistance will help schools like Sinclair as well as other impacted entities recover much faster. Receiving these funds means that Harris County can swiftly and effectively address the damage caused by the recent severe winds. This assistance will not only help us recover but also allow us to invest in future mitigation efforts to protect our community."

Judge Hidalgo emphasized the importance of the federal support: "Instead of having to cover the full cost of recovery ourselves, this reimbursement allows us to maintain a balanced budget and focus on long-term resilience."

The awarded FEMA PA funding is divided into several categories, each addressing different types of assistance, including:

• Category A: Debris Removal: Funding for the clearance, removal, and disposal of debris from public and private property to eliminate immediate threats to life, public health, and safety.
• Category B: Emergency Protective Measures: Funding for measures taken before, during, and after a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, and prevent damage to improved public and private property.
• Category C: Roads and Bridges: Funding for the repair, restoration, or replacement of roads, bridges, and associated features like shoulders, ditches, culverts, lighting, and signs.
• Category D: Water Control Facilities: Funding for the repair, restoration, or replacement of public water control facilities, including dams, reservoirs, levees, flood control channels, and drainage facilities.
• Category E: Buildings and Equipment: Funding for the repair, restoration, or replacement of public buildings and equipment, including schools, libraries, police stations, and other public facilities.
• Category F: Utilities: Funding for the repair, restoration, or replacement of utilities, including water treatment and delivery systems, power generation facilities, sewage collection and treatment facilities, and communications.
• Category G: Parks, Recreational, and Other Facilities: Funding for the repair, restoration, or replacement of public parks, recreational facilities, and other facilities such as playgrounds, pools, and public cemeteries.

Harris County is committed to leveraging this federal assistance to rebuild stronger and more resilient, ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents.

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