President Joe Biden on Tuesday authorized the federal government to pick up all of the tab for certain costs incurred by state and local governments in response to Vermont’s historic flooding.
By amending the disaster declaration he had previously issued, the president directed the feds to pay for 100% of the state’s “emergency protective measures,” up from 70%, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency press release.
The measures are part of the FEMA Public Assistance program, which covers costs incurred by state and local governments and some nonprofits “providing critical services during the response to preserve safety and health of the public and limit damage,” said Ted Fisher, a spokesperson with Vermont’s Joint Information Center.
Examples include “the deployment of rescue teams, the purchase of materials and resources, and the additional costs of staffing,” Fisher said. “Local communities can similarly receive reimbursement for these kinds of costs.”
The funding does not cover “recovery costs such as rebuilding and debris management,” which are covered in other programs, he said.
The state is able to choose the 30-day period, as long as it is within the first 120 days from the start of the disastrous flooding.
