The Federal Emergency Management Agency has reimbursed League City more than $1 million for money the city spent on emergency communications, evacuations and sheltering following Hurricane Harvey, according to an Aug. 5 FEMA press release.

During and in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, League City opened an emergency operations center to coordinate search and rescue efforts, outside resources and damage assessments. City personnel provided evacuations and sheltering at four locations, managed debris removal, provided residents with emergency information, secured shelters and city buildings with police presence, conducted water rescues and recovery missions, closed flooded roads and provided transportation to affected residents, the release reads.

FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program, which gives money to eligible entities for actions taken in response to natural disasters, funded 100% of the city’s costs for such efforts because the emergency work was done within 30 days of a disaster declaration. FEMA’s grants went to the state, which then disbursed the moneys to eligible applicants, including League City, according to the release.

Meanwhile, League City is still waiting to hear back on possible FEMA funding for nine drainage projects, League City Engineering Director Chris Sims said.

Last year, League City applied for FEMA grants for 26 projects, 21 of which were included in the drainage bonds approved during the May election. FEMA agreed all 26 projects were viable for funding, and they went through the application process, Sims said.

During the process, FEMA determined 19 of the 26 projects met the requirements for grant funding. By May, the city had learned FEMA would fully fund one project: a citywide master drainage plan. The project is out for bid to get a designer, Sims said.

The other 18 projects dragged along until FEMA told League City nine were not going to be funded. The other nine were put on an alternate list, which means they could be funded if other projects FEMA has allocated funds for do not pan out, Sims said.