The federal 2009 supplemental appropriations bill headed for a vote in the House and Senate early next week includes language that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to continue paying for 100 percent of the cost of debris pickup in Galveston County communities still trying to recover from Hurricane Ike.
If the bill passes and President Barack Obama signs the legislation, Galveston homeowners would be able to have their dead trees removed free of charge.
City officials Thursday said they would not be able to offer the free tree removal service because the city would have to pay for 25 percent of the cost. State experts estimate that Hurricane Ike’s storm surge killed about 30,000 trees on private property and almost 11,000 on public property.
Federal reimbursement rules changed from 100 percent coverage to 75 percent, with local governments picking up the balance, on April 26.
As part of the new funding allocation included in the appropriations bill, the federal government also would pay more for the public projects area governments have submitted to FEMA for reimbursement.
The proposed 90-10 match would be wonderful for the city of Galveston, Deputy City Manager Brandon Wade said.
“This might make it where the city can pay for some of these things and not make decisions about not doing projects because we can’t pay for our local share,” he said.
Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas praised U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, and U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, for working to get the allocation language added to the bill in conference committee.
She also offered thanks to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for taking a personal interest in helping the legislation “see the light of day.”
“This is a great day,” Thomas said in a prepared statement.
“The sun is shining, and when Galvestonians receive this news, I trust that their workload as we rebuild will be lightened.”
The city of Galveston, the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Port of Galveston will now be able to move forward with confidence that we are building back stronger and smarter than before.”
Getting additional assistance from the federal government will save the city from the prospect of years of debt and uncertainty, she said.
