By Natalie Frels
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March 28, 2025
To view the unique discover, click on right here. To: All Businesses Teams and People Date of publication: March twenty eighth, 2025 That is to offer discover that the Texas Normal Land Workplace (GLO) will conduct an analysis as required by Government Order 11990 and Government Order 11988, in accordance with HUD rules at 24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Administration and Safety of Wetlands to find out the potential impact that Hays County single household catastrophe restoration House owner Reimbursement Program (HRP) and House owner Help Program (HAP) actions in wetlands and surrounding Federal Flood Threat Administration Customary (FFRMS) floodplains could have on the human setting. The GLO was allotted HUD funding to assist deal with unmet housing wants because of the 2024 Texas extreme storms and flooding, together with Hurricane Beryl (Beryl). On Could 15, 2024, a request was declared for a serious catastrophe as a consequence of extreme storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding starting on April 26, 2024, and continued for a number of weeks. From July 5 to July 9, 2024, Beryl induced in depth wind injury, flooding, and energy outages throughout a number of areas, significantly alongside the Texas Gulf Coast and inland communities. Wind gusts exceeding 90 mph and rainfall totals surpassing 15 inches in some areas led to important injury to houses, infrastructure, and companies. The State of Texas Neighborhood Improvement Block Grant Catastrophe Restoration (CDBG-DR) will fund two residential housing packages for eligible county residents whose houses sustained injury from the 2024 disasters. The HAP supplies funding primarily for low-to-moderate-income householders with direct development assist for storm-impacted owner-occupied single-family residential housing. The actions coated by this program embody demolition, rehabilitation, reconstruction, manufactured home substitute, or new development and their related elevation, mitigation, utility, website enhancements, and relocation help, as wanted. The HRP supplies funding for low to moderate-income owner-occupied single-family housing (together with manufactured housing). It permits householders to be reimbursed for sure out-of-pocket bills together with Small Enterprise Administration catastrophe residence loans, incurred for repairs to their dwelling together with elevation, wells and septic wants, reconstruction, rehabilitation, manufactured home substitute, and mitigation. The scale of the proposed website, proposed variety of items, and undertaking footprint should not at present recognized, nevertheless, as particular websites are recognized, they are going to be assessed for potential impacts associated to land use, floodplains, and wetlands. Mitigation measures can be utilized as needed to reduce hostile results. Inside Hays County, Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) efficient maps embody 26,763 acres (6.2%) within the 100-year floodplain Particular Flood Hazard Space (SFHA) Zones A/AE/AO, 11,808 acres (2.7%) within the regulatory floodway, and 0 acres (0%) throughout the Coastal Excessive Hazard Areas Zone V/VE. Zone X encompasses 5,689 acres (1.3%) of Hays County throughout the 500-year floodplain and 388,631 acres (89.9%) of Hays County exterior all SFHA-designated floodplains. Roughly 7,052 acres (1.6%) inside Hays County are designated as wetlands. This contains freshwater emergent wetlands, freshwater forested/shrub wetlands, freshwater ponds, lakes, and riverine wetlands. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain can be decided at a site-specific degree utilizing the 0.2 p.c flood method (0.2PFA) or the freeboard worth method (FVA) when applicable. As well as, siting throughout the Restrict of Average Wave Motion (LiMWA)/Coastal A Zone can be decided on the site-specific degree. Actions throughout the LiMWA will carry the identical mitigation and safety technique as siting inside a coastal high-hazard space (Zone V/VE). The floodplains and wetlands inside Hays County serve essential environmental features that contribute to the county’s ecological well being and group resilience. These areas present floodwater storage and conveyance, serving to to soak up and gradual floodwaters, which reduces downstream flooding and protects close by properties and infrastructure. Moreover, they assist groundwater recharge and discharge, sustaining native water provides and sustaining the bottom circulate of rivers and streams. The pure vegetation inside these floodplains and wetlands additionally performs a key position in erosion management, stabilizing soils, and stopping sedimentation in waterways. Moreover, these areas contribute to water high quality upkeep by filtering pollution and sediments, finally enhancing each human and ecological well being. In inland counties, they assist regulate watershed well being, agricultural water retention, and riparian connectivity, making certain the steadiness of native water programs and ecosystems. Past their ecological significance, these floodplains and wetlands maintain intrinsic values that profit the group. They supply leisure alternatives akin to climbing, fishing, birdwatching, and kayaking, contributing to tourism and outside enjoyment. These areas additionally function academic and scientific sources, providing alternatives for analysis and environmental schooling on hydrology, ecology, and resilience. There are three main functions for this discover. First, individuals who could also be affected by actions within the FFRMS floodplain and wetland and people who have an curiosity within the safety of the pure setting ought to be given a chance to precise their issues and supply details about these areas. Commenters are inspired to supply different websites exterior of the FFRMS floodplain and wetland, different strategies to serve the identical undertaking goal, and strategies to reduce and mitigate undertaking impacts on the FFRMS floodplain and wetland. Second, an satisfactory public discover program might be an essential public academic software. The dissemination of knowledge and request for public remark in regards to the FFRMS floodplain and wetland can facilitate and improve Federal efforts to cut back the dangers and impacts related to the occupancy and modification of those particular areas. Third, as a matter of equity, when the Federal authorities determines it should take part in actions going down within the FFRMS floodplain and wetland, it should inform those that could also be put at better or continued threat. Written feedback have to be acquired by GLO on the following deal with on or earlier than April 14th, 2025: Texas Normal Land Workplace ATTN: David Camarena, Director Neighborhood Improvement & Revitalization (CDR) Division PO Field 12873, Austin TX 78711-2873 A full description of the undertaking can also be reviewed from 9 A.M. to five P.M on weekdays on the deal with above. Feedback can also be submitted through e-mail at env.opinions@restoration.texas.gov.