FEMA Expands Public Assistance, Approves Debris Removal for Decatur County

Decatur County has been added to FEMA’s Public Assistance coverage for debris removal, a federal expansion announced on Feb. 17 that moves the county beyond its earlier Category B approval for emergency protective measures. FEMA and state emergency officials named Decatur among counties now eligible for Category A debris removal following the January winter storm.

Category A covers immediate cleanup costs. As WSMV reported, Category A includes “eligible costs related to debris removal undertaken to eliminate immediate threats to lives, public health and safety, or improved property.” WVLT’s reporting further notes that certain local governments and nonprofit organizations can apply for debris removal coverage under FEMA guidelines.

FEMA and TEMA materials assembled in regional reporting show 15 counties granted full Public Assistance, which supports local governments and certain private nonprofits with emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged public infrastructure. The counties listed as approved for full PA are Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Davidson, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Perry, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, and Williamson.

Separately, eight counties were explicitly listed as approved for Category B emergency protective measures. Those counties are Decatur, Dickson, Hardeman, Lawrence, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, and Wilson. WBBJTV summarized FEMA/TEMA guidance, noting that “Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) includes eligible actions taken to save lives, protect public health and safety, and prevent additional damage. Category B approval does not automatically include other categories of Public Assistance related to permanent repairs.”

Multiple sources explicitly name Decatur, Dickson and Hardeman as newly eligible for debris removal. WSMV reported that FEMA granted Category A Public Assistance to seven Tennessee counties and that those seven had previously been approved only for Category B; however, WSMV’s excerpt did not list all seven names. Given the available public materials, Decatur, Dickson and Hardeman are the counties that can be cited by name as newly eligible for Category A debris removal pending release of FEMA’s complete approval notice.

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are underway as part of the federal-state process. WSMV reported that “Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (JPDAs) are underway in multiple Middle Tennessee counties, including Hickman, Wilson, and Robertson. These surveys began on Tuesday, February 17, and will identify which ‘damage is beyond the capability of state and local resources to recover.’” Those assessments inform whether additional PA categories or Individual Assistance are warranted.

FEMA Individual Assistance for households remains under federal review. TEMA credit lines in regional reporting reiterate that IA “may provide direct support to eligible individuals and households for certain uninsured or underinsured disaster-related needs,” but no federal IA decision has been announced. Public statements about funding totals remain unclear; a public remark on Feb. 6 on Truth Social stated, “I just approved $60.6 million dollars for the Great State for Tennessee,” but formal FEMA and TEMA releases tied to the Feb. 17 PA approvals did not detail specific dollar amounts for these grants.

Local governments and nonprofits seeking to apply for Public Assistance or debris removal should coordinate with their county emergency management office and follow TEMA guidance for application steps. State and federal forms and application timelines are set by FEMA and TEMA; county officials should expect follow-up from FEMA as Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are completed. FEMA or TEMA press releases that list the full set of Category A counties and any funding figures remain to be published and will provide definitive implementation timelines.