By Michael Bielawski
Tomorrow morning on the Statehouse steps there will be “The People’s Demands for a Just Flood Recovery” aimed to reshape public policy to mitigate future flood impacts throughout the Green Mountain State.
“Grassroots groups on the front lines of flood relief will gather to share demands for state-level action towards a just flood recovery,” the report on VermontBiz states.
Those who are expected to participate include a representative from Northeast Kingdom Organizing [not species who yet], Michelle Eddleman McCormick of Cooperation Vermont, Amy Lester of the Vermont Workers’ Center, and Lena Greenberg of Community Resilience Organizations.
The event will begin at 9:30 at the Statehouse steps. The release continues, “Grassroots organizations and community mutual aid groups are the first to mobilize when disaster strikes—drawing on relationships, local knowledge, and that combination of grit and care that makes us Vermonters. In a time of ever-unfolding disaster, we recognize the need to balance short-term needs and long-term transformation.”
Hard infrastructure
The report calls to “Ensure all new infrastructure is built to withstand flooding and other climate disasters. Invest in roads, wastewater treatment, water systems, and food infrastructure that is reliable under climate stressors and ensures people can meet basic needs during crisis.”
The state has already mapped out where flood waters are expected to flow when they occur throughout the state, they can be looked at here.
The report also wants more careful planning for future housing. It states, “Develop watershed-wide river management and ecosystem restoration plans that account for and minimize flood impacts. Adjust statewide development standards and incentives to prevent new building in floodplains, and incentivize climate-resilient construction. Buy out homeowners who are willing to move.”
The governor has been continuing to update the public on recovery efforts since the latest round of flooding which occurred right about the anniversary of last year’s dramatic flooding.
In a press conference, Scott addressed those who are still anxiously waiting for state aid about two weeks since the flooding. He said, “This time around, FEMA is moving on a more traditional path. So while it may seem like it’s taking a while for damage to be assessed, it’s important to remember it’s only been two weeks since the storm.”
VDC highlighted that the Town of Plainfield in particular was hit hard this time around, meaning the rains came just several miles from repeating another devastating impact on the City of Montpelier after last year’s floods.
State employees specific to flood relief?
On the agenda is to consider the creation of “permanent positions to respond to the needs of Vermonters impacted by climate-fueled disasters like flooding, landslides, heat waves, and more.” It continues that they would like to see the state take action to refine its flood disaster response strategies more specific to the needs of rural communities.”
Climate change rhetoric
They would like to see future housing infrastructure itself be more resilient to flood impacts. The language in this section makes political statements about climate change.
It states, “Vermonters have the right to remain in their towns and neighborhoods as the changing climate increases the frequency of disasters and the loss of housing for poor and working-class people.”
Not everyone however is convinced that such assumptions about more frequent weather events are accurate. VDC’s Paul Bean recently weighed in on the matter, stating “All jokes aside are we really going to pretend that it’s normal Vermont has now been flooded substantially 3 times alone this summer? It’s not CLIMATE CHANGE as we’ve been taught, but a mix of not dredging the rivers and negative externalities of Geoengineering.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle