The Board of Directors of the Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA) has approved special funding to provide disaster recovery assistance grants to counties, municipalities, and other entities located within the Sabine River Basin that were impacted by Hurricane Laura. Over the coming weeks, grant checks will be presented to the following local entities; Orange County, Newton County, Shelby County, Sabine County, Jasper County, San Augustine County, City of Orange, City of Bridge City, City of West Orange, and South Newton Water Supply. Hurricane Laura made landfall in Southeast Texas on Wednesday, August 26, 2020. Impacts from the storm primarily included power loss and wind damage. Many communities were left devastated.
Disaster relief assistance funds are part of SRA’s community assistance program approved by the SRA Board of Directors to help promote the quality and quantity of services essential for the development of a viable community. In the aftermath of the storm, SRA wanted to reach out to provide assistance for some of the entities that qualify for our program and were damaged by Laura. Additional entities that qualify for the Community Assistance Grant program will be identified and reviewed for consideration in the near future.
“The damage caused by Laura was another significant hit for many communities in East Texas that have suffered from repeated hurricanes in recent years,” stated SRA General Manager David Montagne. “SRA applauds the efforts of the local communities to rebuild and restore the necessary services they provide to their customers,” added Montagne. Created by the Legislature in 1949, the Sabine River Authority is an official agency of the State of Texas. The Authority was created as a conservation and reclamation district with responsibilities to control, store, preserve, and distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributary streams for useful purposes.