WATERBURY, VT – Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) Director Eric Forand has submitted a request for a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to determine if the state qualifies for a federal major disaster declaration following floods of December 18 &19.
The request asks for assessments in Addison, Essex, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, and Windsor counties to determine if the state qualifies for a Public Assistance (PA) Disaster Declaration for the storm. A Public Assistance declaration would provide 75 percent reimbursement to communities for local storm damage repairs. Additional counties could be added to the request as data collection continues.
“These floods caused significant damage to local roads,” Vermont Emergency Management Director Eric Forand said. “Repair work will strain many municipal road budgets just as the winter season begins, and we want to do all we can to ensure towns receive funding from all assistance programs they are eligible for.”
To qualify for a major disaster declaration, Vermont must show at least $1.1834 million in response and public infrastructure recovery costs. Individual counties must also show public infrastructure damages and recovery costs of $4.6044 per capita, which includes road repairs, debris removal, contractor expenses, and municipal employee overtime.
The assessments are expected to begin in early January.
Department of Public Safety
Vermont Emergency Management