MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont officials are seeking a federal major disaster declaration to compensate towns damaged by flooding in December in Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham and Windsor counties.
Federal assessors have identified more than $1.9 million in damage to towns caused by flooding on Dec. 18 and 19, according to the governor’s office, exceeding the $1.2 million the state must show to qualify for a public assistance disaster declaration.
“As Vermont continues to recover from last year’s flooding events, it is clear more federal support will be needed to help communities rebuild,” Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said in a statement Tuesday. “As we do so, it will be critical to make improvements to ensure greater resilience to future severe weather events, that we know will become increasingly common. My team is committed to working with federal and local partners to do this work.”
If granted, the declaration unlocks FEMA funding to reimburse municipalities for 75% of eligible costs.
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