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Vermont governor asks federal government to declare major disaster after December flooding
The state is seeking federal assistance to help cover more than $1.9 million in damages from the Dec. 18-19 floods, which hit the state while it was still recovering from historic summer 2023 storms.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott asked President Joe Biden to issue a major disaster declaration to help several counties in the state rebuild after damage from December’s flooding was assessed to total over $1.9 million.
The request, filed Tuesday, would allow the federal government to reimburse municipalities for 75% of rebuilding costs, which include debris removal and road repairs, according to a press release by Scott’s office.
“As Vermont continues to recover from last year’s flooding events, it is clear more federal support will be needed to help communities rebuild,” Scott said in a statement. “As we do so, it will be critical to make improvements to ensure greater resilience to future severe weather events, that we know will become increasingly common. My team is committed to working with federal and local partners to do this work.”
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Federal officials assessed the cost of repairs from the Dec. 18-19 flooding to surpass $1.9 million, which exceeds the minimum amount needed for a disaster declaration by approximately $700,000, according to the press release.
In the request addressed to Biden, Scott asked for assistance specifically for Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor counties, which all individually exceeded the minimum per-capita damage amount needed to qualify for federal assistance.
The December weather event included a rise in temperatures and heavy rainfall totaling about 1.5 to 3 inches statewide, with an additional 1 to 2 inches in snowmelt.
In the letter to Biden, Scott said the state is still recovering from a historic summer 2024 storm which saw regions receive between 3 and 9 inches — or two months worth — of rain in two days.
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“Vermonters are still suffering from the devastating impacts of the historical flooding which occurred during the summer of 2023,” the request reads. “This smaller but impactful storm caused repeated damages in numerous communities, compounding the misery and setting back recovery efforts from the summer storms for exhausted survivors and local road crews and emergency responders.”
The December storm impacted railroads and roads across the state. Damages to the Vermont rail system totaled about $652,356 in two of the counties, with even more repairs needed in municipalities in which federal assistance was not requested, Scott’s letter to Biden said.
One death was linked to the floods and people were rescued from homes and vehicles caught in moving water, according to the request.
The letter also asks for funds from the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which would be used to help pay for projects in the state “that reduce the likelihood of damage to public infrastructure in future disasters,” according to the press release.
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