The article is written so as to imply Trump voided a rule that could have prevented or lessened the damage from Harvey.

In actually he voided an Obama EO 13690 whose focus was to use 'climate science' as the guiding principle to establish a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard.

Floodplain management had already been established by Executive Order 11988 of May 24, 1977 (Floodplain Management),

Before Harvey Hit, Trump Voided A Federal Rule To Protect Infrastructure From Future Flooding
Marina Fang
August 28, 2017

President Donald Trump, who will visit Texas on Tuesday for a first-hand look at Hurricane Harvey’s deluge of rainfall, flooding and destruction, may have already made preparedness for similar natural disasters more difficult.

Less than two weeks ago, Trump rescinded an Obama administration federal rule that required federal, state and local agencies to take steps to enhance buildings, highways and other infrastructure with protections from flooding.

Trump’s rollback of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard was part of his executive order billed as a plan to streamline infrastructure projects. He signed the order earlier this month at Trump Tower in New York, minutes before the fiery press conference during which he blamed “both sides” for the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, incited by a white supremacist rally.

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The rule, signed by Obama in 2015, cited the growing risk of flooding from rising sea waters caused by climate change, which Trump has claimed is a “hoax.”

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/harvey-hit-tr...-173052867.html