VERMONT – President Joe Biden has approved a major disaster declaration for Lamoille County in response to severe storms that hit parts of the state in late June.
The president’s major disaster declaration, issued on Wednesday, opens up additional federal resources to help state and municipal governments recover from storm damage, including federal dollars to repair public infrastructure and assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The first in a spate of severe weather events that pummeled Vermont this summer, a series of thunderstorms between June 22 to June 24 hit north-central Vermont with persistent rain and, at times, fierce wind, even spurring the National Weather Service to issue a rare tornado watch across the state on the afternoon of June 23. The storms caused significant flooding in parts of Lamoille County and the Northeast Kingdom, resulting in major damage in towns such as Stowe and Walden.
According to a press release from Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s office Thursday afternoon, the late June storm caused more than $1 million in damage to the town of Stowe alone. This week’s declaration opens up public assistance dollars from FEMA, which can reimburse municipalities for 75% of costs already incurred for road and infrastructure repairs, debris removal, staff overtime and general natural disaster cleanup.
In his request to Biden for a major disaster declaration, sent on August 21, Scott described the storm as “a rapid-onset event, with a deluge occurring overnight.” According to a recap of the storm from the National Weather Service included in Scott’s request, heavy rains were mainly concentrated in Lamoille and Caledonia Counties on the afternoon and evening of June 23, resulting in flash flooding, rapid runoff and road washouts.
Scott, in his letter to Biden, requested public assistance for both Lamoille and Caledonia Counties. But a press release from FEMA issued Thursday only lists Lamoille County in the declaration.
“Public assistance federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities in Lamoille County,” FEMA wrote. “Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.”
According to Scott’s office, Biden’s latest disaster declaration covers just one of three separate severe weather events between June 23 and July 30 of this year, for which the state has requested federal assistance.
Last month the president granted a declaration for seven counties hit by flooding that swept through the state between July 9 and July 11.
Vermont is still awaiting a decision on another major disaster declaration request for subsequent flooding, which occurred from July 29 through 31 in Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties. Scott sent that request to Biden on August 28.
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Scott told reporters of the pending request, “I think it’s just a matter of time. We’ll get the rest of the declarations, I’m hopeful.”
But as for this week’s disaster declaration, Scott’s spokesperson Amanda Wheeler confirmed Caledonia County was denied assistance for the June storms.
“We’ll continue to work on this to see if there is a path forward to have it included, but it’s unlikely given the damage,” Wheeler said.
Caledonia County could still see additional federal infrastructure aid if Scott’s request for a major disaster declaration is granted for the late July storms. It was also among the counties included in the major disaster declaration approved last month for the early July storms.
Sarah Mearhoff, VTDigger
