FEMA floodplain maps across Texas show significant irregularities in update schedules, with some areas using paper maps from the early 1980s while others have recent updates. Texas lacks a unified system for regularly updating floodplain maps.
Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 31, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
FEMAmaintains National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer with floodplain maps
Texas Water Development Boardprovides funding for floodplain map updates
The facts
Some Texas floodplain maps still use paper maps developed in early 1980s.2
Texas does not have a unified, regularly scheduled system for updating floodplain maps.2
Floodplain map updates depend on federal funding, local initiatives, development pressures, engineering studies, and administrative priorities.2
FEMA floodplain maps do not have a universal expiration date under federal law.2
Federal law requires FEMA to review flood hazard maps at least once every five years, but not to replace them.2
Map update process typically takes 63 to 69 months before engineering reviews, consultations, and public comment periods.2
Atlas 14 increased rainfall probabilities in Harris County by 30-40 percent.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Reduce Flooding Irregular floodplain map updates create problems for new home buyers.2
Reduce Flooding Neighboring communities operate under floodplain maps developed decades apart despite sharing watersheds.2
Reduce Flooding Variability in map updates is especially troubling in rapidly developing areas.2
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
NRG Energy announced plans for a 1.2-gigawatt combined-cycle natural gas power plant in Texas to support a cloud and artificial intelligence data center customer. The project requires $3.2 billion in investment and is targeted for commercial operation in late 2029.
$$3.2 billion for planned investment for 1.2-gigawatt power plant
NRG Energy, company planning power plant; Robert Gaudette, President and Chief Executive Officer of NRG Energy; Bruce Chung, Chief Financial Officer of NRG Energy
The US Transportation Department approved ST LNG, an Indian-American-led firm, to build a deepwater liquefied natural gas port off the Texas coast. The Maritime Administration fast-tracked the licensing process.
$$8.2 billion for deepwater port construction cost
Sean Duffy, US Transportation Secretary; Sharad Tak, Founder and CEO of ST LNG; Mukesh Aghi, President of US India Strategic Partnership Forum and 2 more
A University of Houston survey of 2,000 likely Texas voters found 99 percent supported requiring data center companies to pay for electricity grid upgrades to serve their facilities. The poll also found 79 percent supported limiting data center construction, and voters expressed concern about effects on electricity prices, water supply, and home values.
University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs, conducted survey; Mark P. Jones, Senior Research Fellow, Hobby School of Public Affairs; Joshua Rhodes, research scientist at University of Texas at Austin and 1 more
The North American Development Bank started a new Access to Financing Program to distribute up to $300 million in loans to small border communities for environmental projects. Loans will be approximately $5 million each, distributed through financial intermediaries for water, sanitation, air quality and energy efficiency initiatives.
$up to $300 million for access to Financing Program funding
North American Development Bank, launched new financing program; Jesse Hereford, NADBank director of institutional relations and communications; John Beckham, NADBank managing director
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station $5.4 million to research converting used nuclear fuel into new reactor fuel using a thorium molten salt reactor. The announcement was made by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly on October 29.
$$5.4 million for department of Energy grant
James Danly, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy; Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), grant recipient; Dr. Lin Shao, Project lead, Professor in Department of Nuclear Engineering and 3 more
Rep. Jodey C. Arrington (R-TX-19) introduced H.R. 10918 to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit EPA from requiring continuous monitoring of net heating value or related parameters of certain combustion control devices. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Rep. Jodey C. Arrington, U.S. Representative, Texas 19th District; bill introducer
Chevron announced it expects to power Microsoft's data center near Pecos, Texas, on schedule despite Governor Greg Abbott's suspension of digital infrastructure permits. The project, called Project Kilby, involves a natural gas facility powering the data center under a 20-year agreement between the companies.
$20-year for power agreement duration
Chevron Corp., energy company powering data center project; Microsoft Corp., data center customer; Greg Abbott, Texas Governor who suspended data center permits and 3 more
The Trump administration is proposing to dramatically scale back a Biden-era rule aimed at cutting methane emissions from oil and gas industry drilling sites nationwide. Trump announced the proposal while campaigning in Lubbock, Texas, saying his administration's revision under the Clean Air Act would save the industry billions in production costs and spur more domestic drilling.
Trump administration, proposing to scale back methane emissions rule; President Trump, made announcement while campaigning; Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator and 2 more