FEMA gets to work helping Vermont recover from remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl

Close to 400 people working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency are delivering aid to flood-affected Vermonters, following President Joe Biden’s approval last week of a major disaster declaration for seven Vermont counties hit by the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl in mid-July.

Alongside Republican Gov. Phil Scott and other state officials, FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer William Roy told reporters at a Wednesday press conference that the agency has already opened three disaster recovery centers — located in Barre, Plainfield and Waterbury — and a fourth, to be located in Lyndonville, is expected to open soon.

At the disaster recovery centers, residents will be able to meet with FEMA staff, who can help guide them through the application and documentation processes for seeking federal aid. Roy said that FEMA aims to open centers in all seven counties where people are eligible to receive individual assistance under Biden’s major disaster declaration: Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington. Orange County was recently approved for public assistance, which reimburses municipalities and other public bodies part of the cost to recover public infrastructure.

According to Roy, 370 FEMA personnel are currently deployed in Vermont to aid in the state’s natural disaster recovery. As in the aftermath of last July’s floods, FEMA officers are going door-to-door to offer assistance to Vermonters in flood-stricken areas. Out of 375 Vermonters who requested that FEMA inspect their homes for flood damage, 235 inspections have already been completed, Roy said.

And as of Wednesday morning, Vermonters had applied for individual assistance, Roy said, and more than $1 million in grant dollars are “going out the door.”

However, the current disaster declaration only encompasses damage from the storm that hit Vermont between July 9 and 11.

Scott announced in a press release late Wednesday afternoon that he had submitted a request for another declaration to cover the July 30-31 storm for Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties. An initial federal assessment found that 85 homes were damaged or destroyed in that storm, while public infrastructure withstood more than $3.7 million in damages. The release also noted that the governor had requested a separate declaration last week for Lamoille and Caledonia counties, which were hit by an earlier bout of flooding that began June 22.

“It’s important to remember, while these federal and state resources are essential and will help, we know it’s not enough,” Scott said at the press conference. “It’s not going to make people whole, or cover all the costs. I know this repeated flooding has taken a toll on municipal and family budgets, especially for those who have been hit multiple times just in the last year.”

In an effort to help fill those gaps — at least for business owners — the state will relaunch last year’s Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program. The program offers interest-free grant dollars to business owners to help cover the cost of flood damage to their businesses, or to make up for lost revenues due to the floods.

Scott and legislative leaders earlier this month approved an additional $7 million for the program to help business owners recover from this year’s multiple bouts of flooding. That comes on top of $5 million that the Legislature greenlit for the program during the legislative session, Scott said Wednesday.

The application portal for businesses to apply to the state for BEGAP funds opens Thursday. According to Commissioner of Economic Development Joan Goldstein, businesses that qualified for the funding after last year’s floods may apply for 2024 funding, as well. Businesses, nonprofits, landlords and farms may receive grants for up to three physical locations per flood event.

Businesses hit by this summer’s floods have until Nov. 15 to apply for BEGAP funding. Those grants will cover 30% of net uncovered damages up to $100,000 per business location.

And businesses impacted by last year’s floods that could still use help can also apply for BEGAP aid by Sept. 30.

The federal Small Business Administration also offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses and homeowners impacted by the floods. Anita Steenson, a spokesperson for the administration, said Wednesday that the deadline to apply for those loans to help with repairs related to the early July flooding is Oct. 21.

Read the story on VTDigger here: FEMA gets to work helping Vermont recover from remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl .