Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing a daily collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts.
Important Harvey Links
If you have been adversely affected or wish to assist a colleague, please take a moment to complete the State Bar of Texas’ Hurricane Harvey assistance survey.
If you would like to donate money to the hurricane relief effort in Texas, you can give through the Texas Bar Foundation by clicking here.
If you are an attorney who wants to help by giving brief advice, limited-scope service, or full representation to Harvey survivors, please complete the form at texasbar.com/attorneyvolunteer.
State Bar Disaster Resources for Attorneys — Information on this page includes recovery plans, court closures, court orders, and other items.
State Bar Disaster Resources the Public — The State Bar of Texas legal hotline — (800) 504-7030 — helps people find answers to basic legal questions and connects them with local legal aid providers following declared disasters.
State, FEMA open 4 Disaster Recovery Centers — The State of Texas and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have opened four Disaster Recovery Centers in Harris, Jackson, Colorado, and Fayette counties. — Texas Bar Blog
Video: How you can apply for federal disaster aid — The State Bar of Texas released a video on how to apply for federal disaster aid. — Texas Bar Blog
Latest Harvey News
Congress to speed up Harvey aid, tackle debt limit — Lawmakers returned to Washington Tuesday facing a daunting to-do list and three months left in the year to show that Republicans can actually get things done. President Donald Trump immediately added a huge complication by rescinding immigration protections for younger immigrants and ordering Congress to come up with a fix. — The Associated Press
Harvey deals costly blow to local criminal justice system — One of the buildings closed was the county’s criminal justice center, where the deluge forced sewage to explode out of bathrooms up to the second floor, rain and winds shattered windows and disrupted a chilling system that caused several water leaks, Harris County Engineer John Blount said. — Houston Chronicle
Texas churches sue FEMA for equal access to Harvey flood aid — Three Texas churches devastated by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency for access to disaster relief funds routinely provided to non-profit organizations such as zoos and museums, but denied to religious groups. — Bloomberg
Government faces suit over Addicks and Barker dam releases — A group of flooded-out Harris County homeowners and businesses sued the federal government on Tuesday, accusing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of knowingly condemning their properties by releasing water from the Barker and Addicks reservoirs after Hurricane Harvey. — Houston Chronicle
Post-Harvey, Houston law schools reopen, with challenges — Classes resumed Tuesday at Houston’s three law schools after being canceled for a week due to flooding in the area from Hurricane Harvey. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Nearly a week after Harvey’s exit, floodwaters persist in some areas — Nearly a week after the rain stopped, floodwaters still covered major roads in Southeast Texas on Tuesday, threatening to submerge even the highest clearance pickups. — Austin American-Statesman
Hotels hard to come by for Houstonians approved for FEMA assistance — FEMA approved her for temporary shelter assistance, but she said she can’t find a hotel in her area that’s available. — Houston Public Media
Abbott: No hazardous waste sites in Houston area found leaking so far — Gov. Abbott said Tuesday that an inspection of hazardous waste sites and landfills in the Houston area has found no evidence so far of any leakage or health threats. — Houston Chronicle
Air monitors detect cancer-causing compound as environmental concerns grow in east Harris County — Independent air monitors have detected a plume of cancer-causing benzene near homes and businesses outside a Valero Energy oil refinery in east Houston, raising concerns among environmentalists and city officials who say the compound is nearly twice the state limits for short-term exposure. — Houston Chronicle
Hospitals see uptick in skin infections from Harvey — Amid concern about floodwaters brimming with contaminants, Houston-area hospitals, emergency departments and clinics are reporting an influx of patients with symptoms related to Tropical Storm Harvey. — Houston Chronicle
Q&A: Harvey flooding impact on insurance, liability, legal documents — Q. Is the damage to my home caused by Hurricane Harvey insured under my homeowner’s policy? — Houston Chronicle
Ohio’s chief justice urges lawyers to offer free legal aid — The chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court is urging lawyers in the state to offer free legal assistance to victims of Hurricane Harvey. — The Associated Press
Beaumont neighborhood residents: ‘We lost everything we worked for’ — Frankie Hare braced himself for the worst before returning to his Northwest Forest home for the first time Tuesday, but nothing could have prepared him for the “pure devastation” he saw there. — Beaumont Enterprise
Warning: Harvey-related scams on the rise — The Office of the Texas Attorney General told the I-Team it has already received nearly 3,000 complaints since Harvey hit the Gulf Coast on August 25th. — KTVT – D/FW
Southeast Texans should watch out for wildlife while clearing Harvey debris — Animals seeking shelter from floods might be found hiding in debris as Houston residents return for post-hurricane cleanup, state officials warned Tuesday. — The Texas Tribune
State Bar of Texas in the News
Lawyers offering help to Hurricane Harvey victims include 1,600 volunteers from across the nation — Lawyers from legal-aid organizations and law firms have been working shifts at Texas shelters to offer free help for Hurricane Harvey victims, while at least 1,600 lawyers from across the nation have filled out a state bar form to offer their volunteer help. — ABA Journal