Vermont Business Magazine Governor Peter Shumlin and Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director Joe Flynn today asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a damage assessment in areas of Vermont impacted by flooding from April 15-18. The assessment is to determine if counties in the state qualify for federal Public Assistance disaster funds to help repair public infrastructure damaged in the floods.
“Following a cold and snowy winter, a period of warm weather was followed by a heaving soaking rain starting April 15. This caused flooding and flash flooding which resulted in significant damage to roads and other infrastructure until April 18th, when waters receded allowing state and local roads to be opened and repairs to begin.” Flynn write to FEMA’s Acting Regional Administrator Paul F. Ford.
State estimates place total damage at over the $1 million minimum required to qualify the state for assistance. Those estimates also suggest that Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, and Orange counties may show enough damage to qualify for a declaration.
“Vermont is still cleaning up from that storm, which closed roads and bridges in some hard-hit areas, and impacted property,” Gov. Shumlin said. “We believe damages in certain counties will meet FEMA’s threshold and are hopeful of getting federal assistance to help recover from this latest emergency situation.”
Shumlin and Flynn asked FEMA to send personnel to Vermont on the week of April 28th to work with state and local teams to validate damage estimates. Should confirmed damages meet federal thresholds, Vermont could be eligible for federal Public Assistance disaster funds.
Source: Governor's office 4.23.2014 PHOT: Flooded farm in Shelburne, April 15, 2014. Tricia Sulva/VBM