WATERBURY — Vermont Emergency Management Director Erica Bornemann on Thursday asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a preliminary damage assessment in five Vermont counties — including Addison County — affected by severe storms from June 29-July 2.
More than $2-million in damage to public infrastructure has been verified by the state, and the cost of still more damage is yet to be officially tallied.
The state is asking for the assessment to determine if towns within Addison, Caledonia, Orange, Rutland and Windsor counties qualify for federal assistance to help cover the costs of cleanup and repairs from the storm. FEMA needs to verify Vermont’s estimates as a first step to determine if the state qualifies for aid.
To qualify for a Public Assistance disaster declaration under the federal Stafford Act, Vermont must show at least $1 million in eligible costs; individual counties must also meet separate thresholds of $3.61 per capita to qualify. Should the indicator thresholds be met, Gov. Phil Scott would forward a formal request for a declaration to FEMA, which would then determine whether to recommend that President Donald Trump sign the declaration.
Under a Public Assistance disaster declaration, communities would be eligible for 75 percent reimbursement for response and recovery costs. Those costs include repairs to local roads, public buildings, other municipal assets, and certain costs related to response.