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Consideration of and action on the adoption of a resolution by the City Council of the City of Deer Park, Texas, authorizing the submission of a flood mitigation assistance (FMA) planning grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and committing to provide the required local cost share if awarded.
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Summary:
The City previously submitted a Project Scoping subapplication under the FY 2024 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program through the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). On April 30, 2026, FEMA reissued the FY 2024 FMA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which reopened the application cycle. As a procedural requirement of that action, FEMA administratively rejected all previously submitted applications, including Deer Park's. This rejection does not reflect the quality or merit of the City's original submission; all communities are required to resubmit under the updated NOFO.
Staff is recommending Council authorize resubmission of the Project Scoping subapplication through TWDB for the reopened FY 2024 FMA cycle. The application deadline is August 6, 2026. The FMA program provides up to 75% federal cost share for eligible flood mitigation activities, with project scoping subapplications capped at $900,000 in federal funds. Resubmission allows Deer Park to continue pursuing funding to identify and develop future flood risk reduction projects that benefit NFIP-insured properties within the community.
Deer Park has a history of significant flooding, with impacts from hurricanes and severe storms over the past 30 years. The city's relatively flat topography, multiple bayous and drainage ditches, and location within two distinct drainage watersheds contribute to its flood risk. The city contains areas within the floodway, 100-year floodplain, and 500-year floodplain, which heightens the need for a strategic approach to flood mitigation. The city's Hazard Mitigation Plan acknowledges the potential need for a Flood M...
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