Vermont Congressional Delegation Urges Federal Funding for Flood Recovery and Mitigation

Strategic Insights -

The devastating flooding in Vermont this summer has left a trail of destruction, impacting over 5,000 individuals and families, resulting in over 200 water rescues, and causing significant damage to roads, rail infrastructure, and agricultural land. In response, Vermont's congressional delegation, comprising Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch, and Rep. Becca Balint, has sent a letter to federal lawmakers, urging them to provide essential funding for recovery and long-term disaster mitigation work.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Vermont congressional delegation has requested federal funding to address the devastating flooding that hit the state this summer, which impacted over 5,000 individuals and families.
  • The delegation has called for increasing the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) cap for hazard mitigation, making Small Business Administration (SBA) loans forgivable, and expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) emergency grant relief for impacted farmers.
  • The delegation has emphasized the need for long-term disaster recovery and mitigation work, urging lawmakers to move funding expeditiously to make important federal resources available to states like Vermont.
  • The flooding caused significant damage to water and wastewater infrastructure, including the destruction of the Johnson wastewater facility, which will likely cost $10 million to replace.
  • The state's inspectors have classified five dams as high hazard and 22 as significant hazards, leaving Vermont at risk for loss of life and property during future storms.
  • The delegation has also urged support for investments in mitigation activities to build long-term resiliency against future disasters and the increasingly dangerous effects of climate change.

Statistics:

  • Over 5,000 individuals and families were impacted by the flooding in Vermont.
  • Over 200 water rescues were conducted, and nearly 90 road closures were reported along major routes.
  • The initial estimate of flood-related damages is in the "many hundreds of millions of dollars."
  • Between 145,000 and 686,000 acres of agricultural land were affected across the state.
  • The wastewater facility in Johnson was completely destroyed, with an estimated $10 million needed for replacement.
  • Five dams have been classified as high hazard, and 22 as significant hazards, posing a risk to life and property during future storms.

Sources:

  • Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
  • Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
  • Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL)
  • Washington's letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patty Murray, Vice Chair Susan Collins, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee Kay Granger, and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro.