PrintTEXAS REBOUNDS
The 2008 hurricane season is finally winding down, but its impact upon Texas will be felt for some time to come. Even before Ike pounded the Galveston and Port Arthur areas, Hurricanes Dolly and Gustav and Tropical Storm Edouard took turns hitting Texas – all within 52 days of each other.
Hurricane Ike will likely go down in history as the most costly and destructive storm ever to hit Texas. Search and rescue operations from this storm have subsided and most shelters have closed their doors, but Texas must now address the extensive damage to our coastal infrastructure, businesses and neighborhoods.
Just as Texans prepared extensively to weather Ike and diminish its overall impact on life and property, we must work together to rebuild what was lost. Gov. Perry is working closely with both local and federal partners to secure the relief needed so that affected Texans can continue the process of rebuilding.
To accelerate the process, Gov. Perry recently charged former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels and his former chief of staff, Brian Newby, to lead Texas’ Hurricane Recovery and Coordination Effort. Their work will be essential to securing the federal dollars needed to rebuild devastated homes, return children to their schools, restart businesses, and restore the quality of life interrupted by the 2008 storms.
Working together, Texans can ensure that communities damaged in the wake of this year’s storms achieve a renewed vision for a promising future.
2008 Hurricane Season - Recent News
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Nov 17, 2009 - Gov. Perry Urges HUD to End Delays on Texas Hurricane Recovery Funding
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter yesterday to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan urging the expedited approval of Texas’ disaster recovery funding. HUD claimed last week that “there is no compelling need to immediately approve” Texas’ application for continued recovery funding for hurricanes Ike and Dolly. -
Sep 15, 2009 - Gov. Perry Announces $8.6 Million for Bridge City ISD for Hurricane Ike Recovery
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced the state has provided $8.6 million to Bridge City Independent School District to assist in the construction of a new elementary school campus, replacing two schools badly damaged by Hurricane Ike. These funds are part of House Bill 4586, appropriated to the Trusteed Programs in the Office of the Governor as additional funding beyond the general disaster relief provisions of HB 4102. -
May 07, 2009 - Gov. Perry: Washington Penalizes Texas for Protecting Communities from Ike
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for its denial Tuesday of the state’s appeal for an increased federal cost share for protective measures and recovery operations related to Hurricane Ike which made landfall on the Texas coast Sept. 13, 2008. -
Apr 08, 2009 - Gov. Perry Touts Texas Approach to Disaster Management
"You might wonder if all the effort and expense is worth it, but the folks in this room can give you their own answer. Talk to someone who looked into the eyes of terrified people as they pulled them into a boat or helicopter, or a shelter worker who reunited evacuees with their families, or a church member who gave someone their first hot meal in days. They’ll tell you that lives were saved when all hope seemed lost. That’s worth it to me."
