It's Official: Part Of Vermont Declared Federal Disaster Area From July Flood

Flood damage near Hinesburg, Vermont on July 11.
Chittenden County, where Hinesburg is located, is
one of seven Vermont counties declared a federal
disaster area due to mid-July flooding. 

 President Biden on Tuesday declared seven Vermont counties a major disaster area from the epic flooding we experienced in mid-July. 

The declaration covers damage caused by flash flooding on July 9-11, mostly in central and northeastern Vermont. 

Says the Associated Press:

"The declaration makes federal funding available to people in Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington counties, federal officials said. It also includes funding to help communities in those counties repair flood-damaged roads and bridges."

It designation doesn't cover the catastrophic flooding in the Northeast Kingdom back on July 30. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has made a separate disaster declaration request for that event. 

Scott has also asked for a separate disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deal with farmers suffering severe damage in much of central and northern Vermont.   

Orange County was also left out of this federal disaster declaration. The Scott administration is working to add that county to the seven others singled out for the help. 

Here's what the disaster declaration does:

People living in the seven counties under the disaster declaration can apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's individual assistance program.  his helps with reimbursement for flood recovery expenses that insurance doesn't cover. So things like home repairs or home replacement and rental assistance. 

The declaration also means that FEMA could provide up to 75 reimbursement for towns, cities and villages that had to make emergency repairs to roads, bridges and such immediately after the flood. 

To apply for assistance, register at FEMA's disaster assistance website. Or you can call them at 1-800-621-3362.