Trump OKs disaster aid for Travis, counties hit by fall flooding

Feb. 25-- Feb. 25--President Donald Trump on Monday approved a major disaster declaration for more than 20 Texas counties, including Travis, that were hit by devastating floods this past September and November.

The declaration makes federal funds available to state and local governments, along with private nonprofit organizations, for repairs related to the floods and hazard mitigation to lessen the impact of future flooding.

The counties covered by the declaration are: Archer, Baylor, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Comanche, Coryell, Dimmit, Edwards, Fannin, Franklin, Grimes, Haskell, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Jones, Kimble, Kinney, Knox, Llano, Madison, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Nolan, Real, San Saba, Sutton, Throckmorton, Travis, Uvalde and Val Verde, a White House news release said.

A series of storms poured rain into waterways throughout Central Texas from Sept. 10 through Nov. 2, causing devastating flooding. In Austin, an influx of murky water and debris overwhelmed the city's water treatment system and led to the issuance of a city-wide boil-water notice in October.

Upstream, portions of Marble Falls were inundated by raging floodwaters. Several homes along Lake Marble Falls and the Llano River were ripped apart and sent downstream, along with boats, vehicles and even the FM 2900 bridge spanning the Llano River.

U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, said in a news release that he urged Trump to approve a request from Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a major disaster. Williams said the available federal funds will help families and businesses recover and aid in rebuilding infrastructure.

"I am proud of the leadership and engagement that local and state officials exhibited throughout this process, and I look forward to rebuilding together," Williams said.

According to the FEMA, federal money can be used to cover the costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures to save lives and protect property and public health. Funding also can be used for replacing or repairing roads, bridges, schools, recreational areas and other public property.

The procedure for applying for federal money will be explained in a series of briefings that will be announced at a later date.

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