AUSTIN, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded nearly $2 million to the city of Galveston through the Texas Division of Emergency Management to fund Phase I of a new storm drain system located between 14th and 18th streets. The funds will help cover costs for permitting, engineering, design, environmental assessment and construction engineering services toward the development of this project.

In addition, the project will include an outfall pump station on the Galveston Ship Channel end of the proposed storm drain system. The station will increase gravity-fed drainage in the area and will improve the drainage capacity to a 25-year flood event. Based on this design, the city will be able to maintain the rain water produced in a 100-year event in the city’s right-of-way and away from private property in the drainage area.

This project is part of FEMA’s long-term commitment to help Texas and its communities recover from Harvey and to become more resilient.

As a part of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), the project requires a 25 percent nonfederal match. HMGP provides funds to implement hazard mitigation measures following a presidentially declared disaster. Grants are designed to assist local communities, states, federally recognized tribes and territories with implementing mitigation measures during the recovery process. The goal is to reduce overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events, while also reducing reliance on federal funding in future disasters.

For additional information on Hurricane Harvey and Texas recovery, visit the Hurricane Harvey disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4332, Facebook at www.facebook.com/FEMAharvey, the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at www.twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or the Texas Division of Emergency Management website at https://www.tdem.texas.gov.