Central Texas counties approved for FEMA funds to help cover costs of February ice storm

Some Central Texas counties got good news last week about the heavy bills they face for damage from the February ice storm that devastated trees and caused widespread power outages.

Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop are among the 13 counties approved for federal emergency management assistance for the disaster, according to a news release from the governor's office. The other counties approved were Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Henderson, Kendall, Lee, Leon, Milam and Robertson.

The storm battered the area Jan. 30 through Feb. 2 and brought freezing rain that deposited heavy loads of ice on trees and roads.

Travis County, including all cities in the county, suffered $56.8 million in damage, said County Judge Andy Brown.

More: Austin roads covered in ice as winter storm hits Central Texas

"I'm extremely happy that the Biden administration authorized this," Brown said. "This will help us with very significant costs from the storm. We had to supply emergency water to a couple of jurisdictions when their water utility failed."

Thirty-one percent of the trees in Austin, or 10.5 million, were damaged by the storm, according to an assessment for the city done by the Texas A&M Forest Service. About 171,000 customers lost power in Austin, officials said, mostly because of fallen trees.

The federal money will reimburse Travis County for up to 75% of its costs, Brown said. It should take one to two years to get the reimbursement, he said.

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"With our limited budget and limited assistance received from the state government," Brown said, "I am really happy we have the safety net of the federal government to help us in times like this."

Williamson County and all its cities suffered about $21 million in damage from the storm, spokesperson Connie Odom said. Those costs have included about $8 million for clearing 680 miles of rural and urban roads where debris needed to be hauled away.

“I want to thank President Biden for the federal assistance to help us recover from the storm," County Judge Bill Gravell said.

More: New estimate adds $8 million to Williamson County's ice storm cleanup costs

"I once again am thankful for our governor, who continues to take care of Texans and the residents of Williamson County. With federal assistance, we will be able to ensure the safety of our residents through cleaning up our roads, parks and trails.”

The tree damage was so widespread in Taylor that every residential block was affected, Mayor Brandt Rydell said. He estimated the city had 100,000 cubic yards of downed limbs, branches and trees.

Bastrop County had $110,796 in damage from the storm, said Lyndsey Schroeder, an executive assistant to County Judge Gregory Klaus. The judge declined to comment about the federal aid for the county.

One of the hardest hit areas in Bastrop County was Elgin, officials said. Mayor Theresa McShan said Elgin has just finished its first round of debris cleanup, and she is still seeing tree limbs breaking because trees are drying as the weather warms up.

"It's crazy," she said. "I've never seen it like this before."

Hays County costs for the February storm are estimated at $450,000 for ground crews, mulching and grinding of debris, said Anita Collins, a spokeswoman for the Hays County judge.

"Fortunately, because Hays County has a disaster declaration, FEMA will reimburse 75% of the costs, and Hays County is working with our nonprofit and faith-based partners to address the remainder," Collins said.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Central Texas counties to get FEMA aid for February ice storm damage