FEMA

Vermont applied for an enhanced federal match earlier this fall. And last week, President Joe Biden approved an amendment to Vermont’s disaster declaration that will deliver significant relief to towns that have filed public assistance claims.

Residents in seven counties are eligible for FEMA assistance for floods that hit Vermont on July 10 and 11. And residents in three of those counties — Essex, Orleans and Caledonia — can also draw down aid for floods that struck the Northeast Kingdom from July 29-31.

Vermont's junior U.S. senator said "administrative bloat and bureaucratic inefficiency" at the Federal Emergency Management Agency are consuming resources that would otherwise go to disaster survivors.

Only a small minority of households and businesses in Vermont have flood insurance, paying between a few hundred to thousands of dollars a year to cover damage to buildings and their contents. Some policy holders who have received payouts have found it worthwhile, but increasing costs in a state with an already-high cost-of-living may leave the program out of reach for those who need it most.

Bureaucracy at the federal level is negatively impacting Vermont municipalities damaged by the 2023 floods.

Money has started flowing into Vermont to cover flood damage from early July, but congressional inaction means that local governments will have to wait for federal assistance.

At a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Scott says he expects to hear from the White House “very soon" on if Vermont will qualify for federal aid following flooding from Hurricane Beryl.

The overnight storm earlier this week dropped record rainfall on the region, destroyed homes, stranded residents and washed out roads. State officials say they've already tallied over $6 million in damage to public infrastructure.

U.S. Sen. Peter Welch says he envisions an entirely new federal disaster response system, in which state and local entities would be authorized to distribute the billions of dollars in public and individual assistance that are currently administered by FEMA.

Vermont Edition speaks with Stephanie Smith, the state hazard mitigation officer with Vermont Emergency Management, about the property buyout program.