The official 90-day Appeals and Protests period has ended. FEMA has reviewed all of the approximately 250 appeals and protests, sent out acceptance and denial letters and revised the Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The Interactive Mapping Tool shows the revised floodplain information, as well as, the locations of Appeals and Protests. It also provides a link to a document entitled TSARP Appeal and Protest Descriptions that contains a brief description and information about each Appeal and Protest that FEMA received.

On December 18th, FEMA issued the Letter of Final Determination to each of the affected communities in Harris County. Each community has 6 months from the date of the letter to change their ordinances and accept the Revised Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps. On June 18th, 2007, at the end of the six month period the new maps will become the Effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Once effective the new maps will affect flood insurance requirements and costs. Below is the list of all the communities in Harris County that are affected by the new maps and the dates of their 90-Day Appeal and Protests Period.

The Cities of Friendswood, Katy, League City and Waller have there own official FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for their city. As a result they will not be required to adopt the Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps and do not have an official 90-Day Appeals and Protests Period. If you have questions about these specific communities please contact them directly.

The Cities of Hilshire Village and Stafford do not have any Special Flood Hazard Areas in Harris County and therefore do not have an official 90-Day Appeals and Protests Period. If you have questions about these specific communities please contact them directly.

What is an Appeal or a Protest? An Appeal is a technical challenge of the information on the FIRM that requires a full engineering analysis and would imply a change in the flood elevations. A Protest is a challenge of the mapping which might include changes to roads or political boundaries, but may also include changes in the floodplain delineation based on providing more detailed topographic survey information.

All appeals and protests must have been submitted to the floodplain administrator for your community prior to the end of 90-day Appeals and Protests Period. All appeals and protests will be addressed prior to all the maps in Harris County becoming effective. However, revised FEMA Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps will not be reissued.