MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – As many Vermont communities continue to feel the impacts of last year’s devastating floods, the state is trying to simplify the process of distributing funding to prevent damage from future flooding.
Governor Phil Scott Wednesday announced he’s directing the State Flood Recovery Office to simplify the application process to expedite the distribution of the over $100 million in disaster relief funds still available to communities.
“Ensuring communities have the tools to rebuild and recover as soon as possible following last summer’s devastating flooding is critical,” Governor Scott said in a statement. “We know that weather events like we experienced are becoming more common and more severe. It’s critical we focus on building back smarter and more resilient.”
Much of the $1 billion in damage from this past summer’s flooding was paid for through the public assistance disaster declaration from the federal government. But officials say even with that assistance, the local share from municipalities and the state is still in the millions of dollars for projects like widening culverts, elevating roadways, and home buyouts.
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