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FEMA Press Release:
FEMA has provided the state of Vermont with $83,600,591 in Public Assistance funding to help communities rebuild after the devastating storms and flooding that occurred in July 2023, according to a Nov. 1 FEMA statement.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses the state and local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, for debris removal, emergency protective measures and restoration of disaster-damaged public facilities.
Of the total Public Assistance funding obligated so far, $40,311,699 was allotted for debris removal and emergency work, which includes efforts to save lives and protect property, such as overtime for first responders, distribution of food and water and temporary repairs to access roads. FEMA allotted another $43,288,892 for permanent repair and replacement work for roads and bridges, water control and treatment plants, public buildings and parks, utilities, recreational facilities and administrative costs.
In August, FEMA implemented restrictions on its Disaster Relief Fund to prioritize funding for response and urgent recovery efforts. When those restrictions were lifted in October, FEMA was able to resume funding for Vermont recovery projects that were temporarily paused.
“These projects are vital to communities across Vermont as they recover from and mitigate against disasters, and we will continue to work withour local and state partners to help communities rebuild from last year’s storms,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Will Roy. “Soon after theflooding, FEMA provided over $26 million to residents to help rebuild and replace their homes and personal property, and we will continue towork with our local officials and state partners to provide funding for recovery projects. FEMA’s Public Assistance program is a long-termoperation, and we are committed to seeing it through.”
Local officials work with FEMA on the scope and cost of each project. After final approval, FEMA obligates money for the projects to Vermont Emergency Management (VEM). Once funding is obligated, VEM works closely with applicants to complete the grant process and begin making payments.
“We have been working diligently with our federal partners to help communities recover financially from the devastating impacts of last year’s flooding,” said Ben Rose of Vermont Emergency Management, Alternate State Coordinating Officer. “There is still a long way to go, but thanks to recent approval by Congress of additional funding to the Disaster Recovery Fund, FEMA has been able to release tens of millions of dollars of financial reimbursement for hard-hit communities, and that will be flowing to towns over the next few weeks.”
President Biden recently authorized an increase of the federal cost share for FEMA Public Assistance projects from 75 to 90 percent for recovery projects for the July 2023 flooding. The remaining 10 percent will be covered by the state and local governments.
For applicants that have already received funding, FEMA will automatically provide the 15 percent difference to the state of Vermont for distribution. All projects going forward will be at the 90 percent federal cost share except for those that the agency previously approved at 100 percent.
“And because the state will be covering most of the 10 percent non-federal share for the July flooding, the local community will only be responsible for 2.2 percent of the total cost of projects,” said Rose.
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Categories: Press Release
Welp, I guess it’s about time, isn’t it? It’s only been, what, 16 months? And seriously? $83M? With $40M for work already done? $43M doesn’t get you what it used to, you know.
If situations like this and in NC/TN have taught us anything, it’s that we need to come together as communities and regions and take care of our own. Remember Irene? When people in towns like Rochester and Hancock and Pittsfield and Killington re-connected themselves to the rest of the state? Without FEMA or anyone else telling them what they could and couldn’t do? That’s the kind of attitude we all need to take going forward. We truly *are* all in this together.
People who were directly affected in July of 2023 have had to suffer through one Vermont winter already, and at this late date they’ll have to make do through another one as well before they see any lasting benefit from US government money, which will only cover 30 cents on the dollar anyway. What will it take for us to finally learn that we have to rely on ourselves and our communities, rather than the federal government? Sure, it happens in some places. It needs to happen in more.
Folks… FEMA has now been exposed. They have money for “newcomers” at their fingertips. No lines, no waiting. The good people of NC/TN have had to wait for debris to be cleared because FEMA’s “preferred contractors” for this job have to get there from CA! Meanwhile, good citizens from hundreds of miles away have been turned away because, you know, they didn’t have the right paperwork, or simply because they’re “garbage”.
I sincerely hope that after Trump takes a cleaver to the US Dept of Education and flushes out the DOJ, he does the same with FEMA. The man’s going to be busy, that’s for sure.
FEMA/// Forever Endangering Many Americans.
From the Committee for Responsible Federal Budget May 2024:
“With the recent passage of the national security supplementals, Congress has now approved nearly $175 billion of aid and military assistance to support the Ukrainian government and allied nations two years after Russia launched its invasion. The most recent national security-related supplemental includes $61.7 billion for Ukraine, 64 percent of the total budget authority included within the law, with the remainder dedicated to Israel and the Indo-Pacific region. This is on top of the $113.1 billion of emergency spending previously approved throughout 2022…
Of the total amount approved by Congress, about 67 percent ($117.4 billion) is designated for defense-related priorities and 33 percent ($57.4 billion) for nondefense priorities. The majority of nondefense funds – $34.8 billion – have been allocated towards the Economic Support Fund. The rest – $22.6 billion – consists of assistance for refugees, funding for democracy and diplomacy, and other economic assistance.”
Spot on, Melissa.