Vermont disaster declaration

Vermont Governor Phil Scott has requested a major disaster declaration from FEMA following severe flooding that occurred on July 30-31, seeking both public and individual assistance for affected counties. The flooding caused over $6 million in damage to public infrastructure and devastated homes and businesses in the Northeast Kingdom, with many communities still recovering from previous floods earlier in July. This is the state's second request for federal assistance in less than a month, as the state grapples with recurring flooding issues exacerbated by climate change. Scott emphasized the importance of reporting damage through Vermont 211 to facilitate the disaster declaration process. Currently, FEMA has not yet issued any assistance for the mid-July floods, and the state's request awaits assessment and approval. If granted, the declaration would enable a 75% reimbursement for eligible recovery costs.