FEMA Approves More Than $489.1 Million to Support Recovery in Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas

FEMA recently approved more than $489.1 million in funding to support recovery in Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas. This includes $467.6 million to reimburse costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and $21.5 million for recovery work related to past natural disasters.

This regional funding is part of FEMA's announcement of $5.6 billion in federal assistance to states, Tribal Nations and territories for COVID-19 and disaster recovery.

FEMA conducts a review process for all recovery grants that includes verifying compliance with program eligibility rules, ensuring proper documentation of expenses and confirming that claimed activities are consistent with program eligibility criteria to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.

In alignment with President Trump's executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, FEMA conducted thorough reviews of claimed costs to identify duplication of benefits, specifically with patient care revenue. These actions help ensure that the COVID-19 Public Assistance funds being obligated are consistent with the executive order's focus on preventing fraud, waste and abuse. Based on these reviews, FEMA is confident that the costs being reimbursed are eligible and not fraudulent.

Some FEMA Public Assistance grants recently approved to Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas include:

• More than $148.5 million to the Texas Department of State Health Services for management costs from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
• More than $8.8 million to the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in Lafourche Parish, La., for restoration of Fourchon Beach, which was severely eroded during Hurricane Ida in 2021.
• More than $2.6 million to the city of Roswell, New Mexico, to repair or replace fire department vehicles that were damaged during severe storms and flooding in 2024.

FEMA will continue to review additional projects and obligate funds on a rolling basis as eligibility is confirmed and scopes of work are finalized.

About FEMA Region 6

The FEMA Region 6 office, located in Denton, Texas, partners with 68 Tribal Nations and the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Follow us at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at linkedin.com/showcase/fema-region-6/ and like us at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.