Harris County commissioners are urging officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to release updated floodplain maps.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia brought the motion to the Aug. 26 court meeting, where commissioners unanimously voted in favor to authorize a letter signed by court members to prioritize and expedite the maps, which guide infrastructure and insurance decisions for a county with a growing population of more than 4.7 million residents and nearly 1.8 million households, according to the latest data by the U.S. Census Bureau .

Garcia said that while the county has invested significantly in local data and has collaborated with FEMA, their “repeated delays” in the map release hinders what he called "crucial" public safety measures.

“Our shared goal is cl

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