For the second time this summer, Gov. Phil Scott will ask the federal government to conduct a preliminary assessment of storm damage in the state. That could lead to a federal disaster declaration, which would unlock federal funding for the state and municipal governments and, potentially, for individual homeowners and renters.
On Friday afternoon, the governor announced that his administration had submitted a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess the damage from the severe flooding on July 30 and 31 that occurred due to record storms in the Northeast Kingdom.
“This intense rainstorm devastated homes, businesses, roads, bridges, culverts and other public infrastructure,” Scott said in a press release, adding that many of the affected communities “were still cleaning up from flooding less than a month ago.”
Vermont is seeking a public assistance assessment from the federal agency for Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties, in addition to an individual assessment for just Caledonia and Orleans, according to the announcement.
The Scott administration has already determined that the damage to public infrastructure from the most recent storm exceeds $6 million, the release said. FEMA must verify losses of at least $1.183 million to approve a major disaster declaration, which unlocks a 75% federal match for expenses related to emergency response and repairing damage to public infrastructure.
Gov. Scott urged Vermonters in the counties impacted to report damage to 211, either by dialing 2-1-1 by phone or visiting vermont211.org, in order to make the case for the disaster declaration related to individual losses.
FEMA investigators visited Vermont just two weeks ago to assess damage in a broader range of counties from Tropical Storm Beryl on July 10. No disaster declarations have been issued yet in relation to that storm.
