Governor Abbott Appeals FEMA Denial Of Major Disaster Declaration For North Texas Tornadoes
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday the state of Texas formally appealed FEMA's denial of Major Disaster Declaration request for Public Assistance for Dallas and Erath Counties following severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes in October 2019.
Dallas ISD has provided new information that its uninsured damages are now $27 million, raising the total to $45.6 million, surpassing FEMA's threshold of $38.4 million.
The Governor sent a letter to FEMA asking the federal government to reverse their decision and provide much-needed assistance to local governments and non-profits for infrastructure and recovery efforts.
"The people of Texas are resilient and will continue to prepare, respond, recover, and mitigate against disasters — but federal assistance is needed for the communities impacted by these storms in order to expedite this process," said Governor Abbott. "I respectfully ask FEMA to reconsider their decision and provide this crucial support to the people of Dallas and Erath Counties."