DALLAS _ The Federal Emergency Management Agency has again denied Texas' appeal for federal disaster relief funding for the tornadoes that tore through Dallas County last October.
FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor notified state and local officials in a letter addressed to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday, though it did not specifically lay out why the federal agency denied the appeal.
"After a thorough review of all the information contained in your initial request and appeal, we reaffirm our original findings that the impact from this event is not of the severity and magnitude that warrants a major disaster declaration," Gaynor said in the letter.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement Wednesday night that the city would continue seeking relief and thanked Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, along with other members of Texas' congressional delegation, for their efforts in pressuring FEMA for the disaster relief.
"I am stunned by FEMA's decision and extremely disappointed that our request for assistance became a bureaucratic game at the federal level _ one that leaves Dallas taxpayers on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in damage while we are still contending with a pandemic," Johnson said
"The EF-3 tornado that struck North Dallas on October 20, 2019, was clearly a major disaster. Anyone who saw the wreckage the morning of October 21 could attest to that."
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, also ripped FEMA's decision, calling it "outrageous and flat out wrong."
"Amidst a devastating pandemic, the cost will be borne locally by our city, our region and many North Texans from the damage these tornadoes caused last October," he said, vowing to "keep fighting for answers" and to "get North Texas the resources we need to recover."
Cornyn spokeswoman Natalie Yezbick said the senator "plans to discuss this decision with FEMA and other senior administration officials, and he'll keep fighting to try to get Dallas County these relief dollars."
Cruz spokeswoman Lauren Aronson said that "Cruz is disappointed by FEMA's decision and will continue working to help North Texas get the support it needs to recover from the devastation caused by the tornadoes last October."
The storms caused nearly $190 million in damages, according to state estimates.
The federal agency first denied the state's request to get reimbursed 75% of its costs related to recovery efforts in April.
