Disasters and Emergencies

Flash-flooded towns left hanging after Feds refuse disaster payments

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By Guy Page

Towns hit hardest by the July 10 flash floods are facing steep repair bills with no federal help after President Donald Trump denied Vermont’s request for a disaster declaration, the Caledonian-Record reports. 

In an October 29 news story by reporter Paul Hayes headlined “Towns mull options after disaster declaration declined,” the Northeast Kingdom daily newspaper reported that without access to Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, communities like Sutton and Burke must find other ways to pay for extensive road and bridge repairs. 

Sutton faces more than $3 million in damage. Town Clerk Patti McClure said the town has already spent over $600,000 and still needs costly box culverts and a full replacement of the Pudding Hill Road bridge, estimated at $2 million. The Select Board will meet Thursday to consider seeking state assistance.

In Burke, repair costs are approaching $400,000, according to Select Board Chair Mark Daigle. The town is looking to organizations such as the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and the Northeastern Vermont Development Association for help, while hoping the state will create an aid program for the hardest-hit communities.

Daigle said the board is combing through the town budget to redirect existing funds, which may mean pausing long-deferred roadwork and tapping bridge reserves. Budget adjustments could also affect next year’s spending plan as officials work to avoid raising taxes.

Vermont’s congressional delegation sharply criticized the White House decision, calling it political. Gov. Phil Scott said the state will not appeal. A federal declaration would have reimbursed 75 percent of eligible repair costs.

Not just politics? Vermont allegedly mismanaged FEMA contracts

Trump’s post about which states would be receiving disaster aid was explicitly rewarding states that voted for him in 2024. Vermont didn’t, choosing Democrat Joseph Biden by more than two votes to one. 

However, Trump’s action could be seen as consistent with his pledge to not financially support states that are not following his executive orders regarding border security and DEI. And there’s also serious questions about Vermont’s financial management of past flood recovery funds.

As reported by in a Journal-Opinion news story republished on VDC earlier this week, headlined Vermont’s lost FEMA funding, the Trump administration decision came just a few days after the news site Grist reported that Vermont lost track of millions in FEMA funding it received for July 2024 flooding as the state burned through cash faster than anticipated. Vague contract terms, pricey consultants, and poor oversight appear to be at least some of the culprits. Details are in the JO story linked above.

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Categories: Disasters and Emergencies, Infrastructure and Public Works

19 replies »

  1. Re: “As reported by in a Journal-Opinion news story republished on VDC earlier this week, headlined Vermont’s lost FEMA funding, the Trump administration decision came just a few days after the news site Grist reported that Vermont lost track of millions in FEMA funding it received for July 2024 flooding as the state burned through cash faster than anticipated.”

    Then how about correcting the headline to this article?

    Flash-flooded towns left hanging after Feds refuse disaster payments… should say;

    Flash-flooded towns left hanging after State burns through and/or loses disaster payments…

  2. Another disingenuous headline, Feds didn’t ‘refuse’ the aid, but Vermont is being penalized for abusing previous disaster aid and not being able to account for what it had received vs spent

    • 👍 Instead of a Vermont election, we need a good old fashioned deep dive AUDIT.

  3. Weather Warfare strikes again and more local taxpayer pain. Comment from Richard Day. The art of the deal get all you can steal.

  5. Would love to see an investigative story on just how the State of Vermont used prior FEMA funding in inappropriate ways. I can only imagine that some money went to solar or wind initiatives intended to “mitigate future climate change catastrophes” or through grants to climate action advocacy groups. That would NOT be appropriate use of flood emergency response, in my humble opinion and would certainly justify the current scrutiny.

  6. Very good comments. I’ll add my 2 cents. Perhaps if they would STOP with the geoengineering , we would not be struck with man-manipulated extreme weather events and would not need the millions of dollars to fix damaged structures, roads, bridges, etc. I’m all over my Reps about this and they don’t respond. They are stuck on climate change only. It is hard to open closed minds!

  8. Does this suggest that it might be prudent to reduce the amount of tax monies we relinquish to the Federal government? …keep the monies in the state and set up a more local emergency response system? …one more responsive to immediate needs? Our willingness to relinquish such matters to Washington’s management has been…unsatisfactory shall we say?

  9. Audits please ! Are there any checks and balances in the Vermont Financial Systems ? Who is accountable ?

  10. How many were aware of this:

    “FEMA provided more than $448 million in grants to Vermont to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses through March 2023. A previous FEMA press release from July 2022 mentioned a total of over $390 million. These funds were primarily distributed through FEMA’s Public Assistance program.”

    Over $104.4 million for COVID-19 vaccination efforts in 2021.
    Over $46.6 million for a hotel/motel voucher program for high-risk individuals requiring non-congregate sheltering.
    Nearly $29 million to the Vermont Agency of Human Services for contracting and operating community-based testing sites.
    Over $9.6 million to the University of Vermont Medical Center for COVID-19 response efforts in early 2020.
    Over $4 million to the University of Vermont Medical Center for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE).
    Over $3 million to reimburse hospitals for extra staffing costs during the pandemic’s peak.
    A grant for the state’s Emergency Feeding Program, which utilized state Coronavirus Relief Funds and continued with additional FEMA funding.

    For Flooding:
    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. As of mid-May 2025, FEMA has provided $12.1 million in assistance for the first major July 2024 flood event and more than $1.7 million for later July 2024 floods in Vermont, totaling at least $13.8 million in individual assistance.

    Vermont Rural Water Association: “There is over $60 million available in Vermont from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for projects that reduce the risk of flooding or other hazards. Water and wastewater systems could use this funding for projects like floodproofing, relocating, or elevating infrastructure. Applicants do not need to have damages from last summer’s flooding to be eligible. The State of Vermont will be covering the 25% match. The pre-application deadline is August 16, 2024.”

    What is the real reason funds are suspended? Could it be accountibility in question? Did the money actually go to who needed it most or who managed to fudge their books, no questions or audits? Yet, the State, the towns and the cities are still bundling debts; past, current, and future into bonds for infrastructure and recovery?

    • Addendum: You can find more information regarding emergency funding, who is directing the funding, the amount, to whom and where – primary contact for Vermont is Administrative Coordinator, State of Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity. The website is Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. http://www.efsp.unitedway.org

      “On January 27, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memorandum to federal agencies, requiring a temporary pause on all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the recent executive orders. OMB has rescinded this memorandum. The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) National Board recognizes that the memorandum and the recent executive orders may have created a great amount of uncertainty and anxiety for the Local Boards and Local Recipient Organizations participating in the program. The National Board is working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to better understand and respond to the anticipated impact on the EFSP and the program participants. EFSP staff will provide timely updates on the program’s web page as more information becomes available.”

      They knew what was coming – they’ve known all along.