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[T]he state is preparing to file for federal disaster aid after last week’s two-part snowstorm that caused more than 100,000 power outages across the state. The state’s largest electric utility dubbed the storm “unprecedented.”
State officials have requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to assess the damages of last week’s storm. The state is asking the federal agency to determine whether the state should qualify for federal disaster assistance money.
Gov. Peter Shumlin this weekend joined officials from Vermont Electric Cooperative, a rural power supplier in Vermont, on a helicopter flight to survey damage caused by storm.
“This storm was hard on tens of thousands of Vermonters, some of whom were in the dark for several days or more,” Shumlin said in a statement Monday. “Private and municipal utilities spent millions of dollars replacing poles, paying crews, and hiring contractors from out of state in restoring power to Vermonters as quickly as they could. We believe FEMA will agree that the state and public utilities meet the thresholds for assistance.”
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, areas in Vermont received more than a foot of wet, heavy snow. According to the state’s request for a preliminary damage assessment, the winter storm caused millions of dollars in damages. As of 6 p.m. on Monday, there were still 685 people without power, mostly customers of VEC and Washington Electric Co-op.
Vermont must show at least $1 million in eligible damage costs to qualify for assistance, state officials say. If the threshold is met, the administration will apply for a formal disaster declaration from President Barack Obama.
“Under the federal Stafford Act, publicly owned and municipal utilities can be eligible for 75 percent federal reimbursement of restoration costs should the state and counties meet federal thresholds,” said Joe Flynn, director for the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, in a statement. “A Public Assistance disaster declaration would also assist towns to pay for qualifying damages to public infrastructure and some response and recovery costs.”