Washed out bridges. Damaged sewer lines. Torn up roads. The toll of last year’s historic flooding is still visible in many Vermont towns. To repair this vital infrastructure, towns rely on money administered to them by FEMA, the same agency that’s supposed to help individuals rebuild their lives after disasters.
But earlier this year, a Vermont Public investigation revealed systemic failures in FEMA’s program for flood survivors. A new investigation shows similar failures in the FEMA program for municipalities. Journalist Peter Hirschfeld shares stories from his reporting. Sen. Peter Welch explains how these investigations have prompted Vermont’s congressional delegation to push for major structural reforms to FEMA.
This problem isn’t isolated to Vermont, as Claire Carlson reports from Kentucky. She works for the Daily Yonder, a news organization that covers rural America.
Broadcast on Monday, September 23, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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