Texas governor signs $1.6B storm plan 2 years after Harvey

HOUSTON – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a $1.6 billion storm and flood resilience plan nearly two years after Hurricane Harvey battered parts of the state.

Abbott signed the bill Thursday in Houston, where the Category 4 hurricane dumped more than 50 inches (130 centimetres) of rain. Harvey caused 68 deaths and an estimated $125 billion in damage.

Abbott says the storm cleanup and readiness package will mitigate damage from the next catastrophic storm. A report from Abbott’s office last year warned that powerful natural disasters will become more frequent in Texas, citing a changing climate.

Abbott has said it’s “impossible” for him to say whether manmade global warming is to blame.

Last week, President Donald Trump signed a $19.1 billion disaster relief bill that releases recovery money for Texas.