Milam, Hill counties added to federal disaster declaration

CENTRAL TEXAS ( FOX 44 ) – Milam and Hill counties, among many other counties across Texas, have been added to the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s (TDEM) federal disaster declaration for severe weather.

TDEM announced the approval of 15 additional Texas counties on Tuesday morning. This is due to the severe weather and flooding which came to Texas earlier this year. With this federal approval for Public Assistance programs, qualifying entities in 63 total counties are now eligible to apply for various forms of federal disaster assistance.

FEMA approved its Public Assistance program for public infrastructure repairs and emergency work for ten additional counties, including Milam, Anderson, Baylor, Cochran, Delta, Rockwall, Rusk, Henderson, Kaufman and Van Zandt counties. FEMA’s Public Assistance program may cover jurisdictional expenses for debris removal, emergency protective measures, roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and contents, public utilities, parks, recreational, and other facilities.

FEMA has also approved its Public Assistance program (limited to emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance) for five additional counties, including Hill, Ellis, Guadalupe, Smith and Hays counties.

Qualifying entities in the following counties are now eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance program: Anderson, Austin, Baylor, Bell, Bosque, Brown, Caldwell, Calhoun, Clay, Cochran, Coleman, Concho, Coke, Cooke, Coryell, Delta,  Eastland, Falls, Fannin, Freestone, Grimes, Hamilton, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Houston, Jasper, Kaufman, Lamar, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Lynn, Madison, Milam, Mills, Montgomery, Newton, Panola, Polk, Robertson, Rockwall, Rusk, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Saba, Shelby, Sterling, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller and Washington counties. The State’s request for Public Assistance for 26 additional Texas counties is still pending review by FEMA.

According to TDEM, FEMA has approved its Individual Assistance program for 35 counties to date. Qualifying Texans in the following counties are eligible to apply: Austin, Bell, Calhoun, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Jasper, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Newton, Polk, San Jacinto, Smith, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker and Waller counties.

Texans can apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.

TDEM says FEMA’s Individual Assistance program provides funding for expenses such as temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance, and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster. The Governor’s request for Individual Assistance for Anderson, Bosque, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk and Sabine counties remains under review by FEMA.

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