Flood Risk Management

North Carolina DEQ Consults On Draft Neuse River Basin Flood Resiliency Strategy

North Carolina’s environmental regulator has released a draft Neuse River Basin flood resilience strategy and opened a short public consultation, including a virtual information session on 11 June and written comments due by 12 June 2026. This will guide future public funding and infrastructure priorities for flood-risk mitigation in the basin, so affected communities and operators should consider engaging now to help shape resilience investments and any downstream requirements.

24 May 2026, 21:06content.govdelivery.comUnited States

EU JRC Study Finds Compound Flood Hazards in Europe Nearly Tripled Since 1980s

In May 2026 the EU Joint Research Centre published new analysis showing that compound flood events in Europe—where flooding coincides with hazards such as drought, heatwaves or windstorms—have almost tripled since the 1980s and cause far higher economic losses than floods alone. This research underpins the EU’s disaster resilience goals and the 2028 European Climate Risk Assessment, signalling rising expectations for multi-hazard risk assessment, early warning design and insurance and infrastructure planning rather than immediate new legal obligations.

22 May 2026, 16:44environment.ec.europa.euEuropean Union

FEMA Finalises Flood Hazard Determinations for Communities in Georgia, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia

FEMA has finalised updated flood hazard determinations and maps for communities in Georgia, Indiana, Virginia and West Virginia, effective 7 July 2026. These changes may shift floodplain designations and insurance requirements, so affected municipalities, developers and property owners should review the new maps promptly to manage building approvals, NFIP participation and future flood-risk exposure.

20 May 2026, 17:51federalregister.govUnited States

US FEMA Updates Flood Hazard Determinations and FIRMs for Multiple Communities

FEMA has issued a May 2026 Federal Register notice updating flood hazard determinations and revising Flood Insurance Rate Maps for numerous NFIP communities across multiple U.S. states based on new technical flood data. Owners and operators with assets in the listed jurisdictions should review the affected Letters of Map Revision, updated base flood elevations and Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries, and plan for any changes to floodplain management requirements, permits, and insurance coverage or appeals within the 90-day window.

20 May 2026, 17:48federalregister.govUnited States

US FEMA Finalises Flood Hazard Determinations for Communities in 12 States

In May 2026 FEMA finalised updated NFIP flood hazard determinations and mapping for communities across 12 US states, with the new FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study reports becoming effective on 10 June 2026. Affected local governments and facility operators should review the changes in BFEs, SFHA boundaries, and regulatory floodways to ensure floodplain management measures, siting decisions, and insurance strategies remain aligned with the updated flood risk profiles.

20 May 2026, 05:40federalregister.govUnited States

US HUD Temporarily Waives Two-Foot Flood Elevation Standard for FHA-Insured New Construction

In February 2026, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development temporarily waived its new requirement that FHA-insured homes in high-risk flood zones be built two feet above base flood elevation, reverting to a lower standard for one year. This short-term relaxation may expand near-term building options but increases long-term flood and insurance risk for new FHA-backed housing in floodplains, and signals a potential shift away from recently strengthened federal flood resilience standards.

15 May 2026, 14:45hud.govUnited States

US FEMA Correction Clarifies Applicability of Adjusted Public Assistance Thresholds for Floodplain and Wetlands Review

FEMA has corrected a November 2025 Federal Register notice to confirm that inflation-adjusted Public Assistance thresholds for floodplain and wetlands review apply to all major disasters declared by the President on or after 1 October 2025, regardless of when the incident began. This clarification broadens the number of FEMA-funded recovery projects that can use higher thresholds before triggering the full 8-step environmental review, slightly reducing procedural burden for infrastructure rebuilds in US disaster areas.

10 May 2026, 18:54public-inspection.federalregister.govUnited States

New Jersey Bill A4971 Limits DEP and State Agencies’ Climate Rules to Global Warming Response Act Scope

New Jersey lawmakers have introduced Bill A4971, which would restrict the Department of Environmental Protection and other State agencies from adopting climate-related rules that go beyond the authority granted by the Global Warming Response Act, particularly for flood-hazard and coastal permitting. If enacted, this could significantly narrow New Jersey’s ability to tighten climate and resilience regulations via agency rulemaking, shifting more control over future standards and permitting requirements to the Legislature and potentially slowing or constraining new obligations for energy, construction, transport, and manufacturing projects.

10 May 2026, 18:50pub.njleg.govUnited States

Virginia Enacts Wetlands and Flood Resilience Laws (HB 237, HB 521, HB 390, HB 1266, HB 70)

Virginia has enacted a package of 2026 laws strengthening wetlands protection, coastal flood resilience and environmental justice outreach, including requirements to map marsh migration corridors, offset tidal wetlands loss and prioritise nature-based resilience funding for low-income communities. These measures will push developers, localities and state agencies in coastal Virginia to factor sea-level rise, cumulative environmental impacts and nature-based mitigation into permitting and investment decisions, as funding and oversight increasingly favour projects that protect wetlands and vulnerable communities.

9 May 2026, 13:26lis.virginia.govUnited States

Environment Agency Opens Consultation On Sizewell C Flood Risk Permit Variation

In May 2026 the Environment Agency opened a public consultation on Sizewell C Limited’s application to vary its flood risk activity permit for permanent ground raising within the Leiston Drain floodplain at the Sizewell C main development site in Suffolk. This step will shape the design and conditions for critical earthworks at the nuclear construction site, so stakeholders concerned with flood risk, infrastructure resilience, and surrounding land use have a short window to influence the permit terms before they are finalised.

9 May 2026, 13:19gov.ukUnited Kingdom

US FEMA Proposes Flood Hazard Determinations for Unincorporated Maricopa County, Arizona

FEMA has opened a 90-day comment period on proposed revisions to flood hazard determinations for unincorporated areas of Maricopa County, Arizona, based on updated preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps and a supporting Flood Insurance Study. If finalized, these changes could shift which properties fall within high-risk flood zones and alter local floodplain management requirements, so operators in the affected areas should review the draft maps and plan for potential adjustments to siting, construction, and insurance decisions.

9 May 2026, 07:15federalregister.govUnited States

UK Parliament Introduces Nature-Based Solutions (Water and Flooding) Bill

A Private Members’ Bill introduced in the UK Parliament in May 2026 would require water companies and relevant public bodies to use nature-based solutions to improve water and flood risk management services. If progressed, this could shift investment and compliance expectations toward natural infrastructure and catchment-based measures, affecting how utilities and major water users plan long-term resilience and permitting strategies.

8 May 2026, 06:48bills.parliament.ukUnited Kingdom

France Senate Committee Adopts Flood-Prevention Bill Supporting Local Authorities — Report No. 579

In April 2026 the French Senate’s spatial-planning committee approved, without further amendments, a bill to streamline flood-prevention and post-flood procedures for local authorities, confirming a text already enriched by the National Assembly. If enacted, the law would significantly strengthen Gemapi authorities’ ability to access and use private land for flood-defence works and to revise risk-prevention plans more quickly, accelerating both infrastructure projects and the imposition of site-specific land-use constraints in flood-prone areas.

4 May 2026, 20:01senat.frFrance

Rhode Island Senate Bill S3039 Proposes Property-Owner Coastal Hazard Protections Without Prior Approval

Rhode Island has introduced Senate Bill S3039 to let coastal property owners take reasonable protective actions against coastal hazards without obtaining prior approval, though the bill is currently held for further study in committee. If enacted, this could loosen permitting constraints for shoreline protection and other hazard-mitigation works, changing how coastal infrastructure and property operators plan and manage coastal risk in the state.

4 May 2026, 18:28webserver.rilegislature.govUnited States

Spain Adopts Basic Civil Protection Planning Directive for Flood Risk

Spain has adopted a new Basic Civil Protection Planning Directive for flood risk, in force from 28 April 2026, updating national, regional and local rules and repealing the 1995 framework. Over the next four years public authorities and operators of dams and other at-risk infrastructures will need to align flood-risk plans, mapping, early-warning and autoprotection arrangements, which may trigger updates to site emergency planning, resilience investments and coordination with Spanish civil-protection authorities.

30 Apr 2026, 08:58boe.esSpain

Delaware DNREC Announces May 2026 Public Sessions on Beach Protection Regulation Review

DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship has launched a regulatory review of Delaware’s beach protection regulation (7 DE Admin. Code 5102) and scheduled May 2026 public information sessions, including a virtual meeting on 7 May, to present proposed coastal resilience updates. Potential amendments could shift the coastal construction building line and permitting expectations along Delaware’s ocean and bay beaches, so coastal developers and property owners should track this process as it moves toward a formal proposal and hearing later in 2026.

30 Apr 2026, 06:44dnrec.delaware.govUnited States

Rhode Island Bill H8216 Would Require Coastal Resources Management Council To Review Water Classifications For Sea Level Rise

Rhode Island lawmakers are considering Bill H8216, which would require the Coastal Resources Management Council to review coastal water classifications and related policies so they properly account for sea level rise, with committee consideration scheduled for 30 April 2026. If enacted, this review could drive future changes to coastal permitting and land-use decisions, influencing how waterfront infrastructure and operations plan for long-term climate and sea level risk.

30 Apr 2026, 06:18webserver.rilegislature.govUnited States

North Rhine-Westphalia Plans Amendment to Climate Adaptation Act and Publishes Klimaanalyse NRW 2026

North Rhine-Westphalia has published a draft amendment to its Climate Adaptation Act, anchored in new high‑resolution climate risk data and a state heat-data portal, to make municipal adaptation planning and climate-resilient public infrastructure more systematic from 2026 onward. This signals tighter expectations on cities and regions to map heat and flood risks, develop funded climate adaptation concepts, and integrate heat warnings into urban planning and public health strategies across the state.

29 Apr 2026, 08:09umwelt.nrw.deGermany

Netherlands: Waterschap Zuiderzeeland Consults on Draft Policy for Compensating Increased Hard Surfaces and Accelerated Runoff

Waterschap Zuiderzeeland has opened consultation on a draft policy rule that updates how much water storage is required to compensate for new hard surfaces and accelerated runoff, with application planned from 1 January 2027. Project developers, municipalities, and other initiators in the Zuiderzeeland area will need to reassess planned increases in roofs, roads, and paved areas against stricter compensation rules and may wish to influence the final design by submitting input before 17 June 2026.

27 Apr 2026, 18:46officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

Louisiana SB 331 Would Temporarily Ease Scenic Rivers Permit Rules for West Pearl River Drainage Works

Louisiana’s SB 331, which has passed the Senate and is now before the House, would temporarily waive Louisiana Scenic Rivers Act permits for specified drainage works on the West Pearl River and its tributaries between August 2026 and August 2031. If enacted, this would ease state scenic-river permitting for local drainage projects while keeping a ban on new commercial or clustered residential development along this stretch, signalling a more flexible but still protective approach to river management.

24 Apr 2026, 10:35legis.la.govUnited States