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.

 

Parts Of Vermont Declared Federal Disaster Area AGAIN: December Floods This Time

Water and debris from the flooding Lamoille River
blocks Route 7 in Milton, December 19, 2023. President
Biden just declared that flood to be yet another
Vermont disaster, eligible for federal help. 

 We got the news Monday that parts of Vermont were declared a disaster area once again, this time for damaging flooding back in December. 

It's confirms that 2023 was quite a year.   

VTDigger tells us:

"Municipalities in Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Windham and Windsor counties now qualify for federal reimbursement of 75% of the costs associated with flood recovery - such as debris removal, road and public building repairs, staff overtime and contractor assistance. 

State and federal assessors found at least $1.9 million in storm-eligible costs during a preliminary survey in December, though the final number is expected to increase, according to a press release issued by (Gov Phil) Scott's office."

This makes three major disaster declarations in Vermont in 2023, which highly unusual to say the least.  In addition, an agriculture disaster was declared for damage inflicted during a May 18, 2023 freeze.

Even further, a few parts of Vermont might receive another major disaster declaration for damage we saw in two intense wind storms between January 9 and 13 of this year.

That would mean five disasters in Vermont within fewer than nine months. If Vermont were a person, it would certainly need some serious therapy. Maybe I shouldn't joke.  The disasters weren't exactly great for the mental health of  the people who lived through them. People are still traumatized. 

The specific list of disasters declarations for 2023 is:

--- Flooding, December 18-19, as described above

---Flooding, Addison County, August 3-5. 

---Flooding, landslides, mudslides July 7-23. all Vermont counties

--USDA-declared agricultural disaster declaration for Vermont, May 17-18.

For such an allegedly "climate refuge" state, Vermont has had a large number of disaster declarations, or weather events that prompted federal assistance Not just in 2023, but in recent years and decades. 

These include a declaration for high winds, flooding and a winter storm on December 22-24, 2022; flooding in Bennington and Windham counties on July 21-22, 2021; and a storm that brought severe flooding and high winds on October 31-November 1, 2019. 

Although I can't specifically blame climate change for any of these storms, they certain are consistent with the phenomenon. Storms can get more powerful in a warmer atmosphere, creating heavier precipitation and stronger winds than would otherwise occur.

Since the world continues to warm, we'll be prone to more and more of these nasty disasters. 

If the federal government declares the January wind storms yet another Vermont disaster, that certainly won't be the last. There will be more. If not later this year, then very probably well before this decade is done.