On Jul. 13, VT LEG governor requested federal assessment of damage.
VT LEG submitted a request for the performance of a federal Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) of the Jul. 10-11, 2024, storms and flooding in Vermont.
Intent of PDA is to determine whether VT is qualified for federal disaster declaration.
Assessment Details
Sought assessment for public assistance (PA), individual assistance (IA) declarations.
A public assistance disaster declaration provides 75% reimbursement to communities for responding to and repairing public infrastructure damaged by the storm.
Assessments will be done in Addison, Orleans, Washington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, and Essex counties; State assessment suggest $15mn in damages.
To qualify for a major disaster declaration, FEMA must verify that there has been or will be at least $1.183 million in response and public infrastructure recovery costs.
Individual counties must also show damages of $4.60 per capita to qualify.
An IA declaration would provide some financial assistance to homeowners and renters for property losses in the storm; threshold, residents must report damage.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help aid in recovery.
Federal funding available to State and eligible local governments and private nonprofits on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work, repair/replacement of facilities damaged.
This declaration does not include damage to private and public property caused by storms on Jul. 30; a separate FEMA major disaster declaration request will be made.
Aug. 23, 2024 SBA Disaster Loans
On Aug. 23, 2024, SBA made available disaster loans to private non-profits (PNPs) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature due to severe weather.
Eligible PNPs that are located in Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans and Washington may apply for the low-interest federal loans.
PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other impacted business assets.
SBA also offered economic injury disaster loans (EIDLs) to help victims meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses for victim PNP organizations.
EIDLs are available regardless of whether PNP suffered any physical property damage.
Also, on Aug. 23, 2024, SBA reported loans available for victims of severe weather.
Declaration covers Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington, each eligible for both physical damage and EIDLs from the SBA.
In adjacent counties of Franklin, Grand Isle, Orange, Rutland and Windsor in VT; Coos and Grafton in NH; Clinton, Essex and Washington in NY, EIDLs only are available.
For small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofits, SBA offered EIDLs to help meet working capital needs.
EIDLs available regardless of whether business suffered any physical property damage.
Filing deadline for physical damage loans is Oct. 21, 2024; for EIDLs May 20, 2025.
In Aug. 2024, FDIC issued guidance to facilitate recovery in Vermont, see #223575.
In Aug. 2024, HUD reported disaster relief to Vermont storm victims, see #223730.
Aug. 28, 2024 SBA Fed Reg Amendment, Publications
On Aug. 28, 2024, SBA issued Amendment 1 to presidential declaration of a major disaster for public assistance only for the State of Vermont FEMA-4810-DR
Amended to include Orange as a primary county adversely affected by the disaster.
Pertains to severe storm, flood, landslide, mudslide in Vermont between Jul. 9-Jul. 11.
All other information in the original declaration issued Aug. 20 remains unchanged.
Also, on Aug. 27, 2024, SBA published notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the state of Vermont (FEMA-4810-DR) dated Aug. 20, in federal register.
Filing deadline for physical damage loans is Oct. 21, 2024; for EIDLs May 20, 2025.
Aug. 29, 2024, VT LEG USDA Designation
On Aug. 29, 2024, VT LEG reported USDA approved disaster designation for 6 counties due to Jul. floods: Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Chittenden, Lamoille, and Washington.
Designation makes farm operators statewide eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans, so long as eligibility requirements are met, with 8 months to apply.
Enables non-industrial forest owners to apply for financial support to restore damaged properties through USDA FSA's Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP).
EFRP provides a 75% cost share to property owners for restoring forest lands.
Sep. 2024 FEMA Fed Reg Declaration Amendment
On Sep. 11, 2024, FEMA issued notice of amendment to Aug. 20, 2024, major disaster declaration, in federal register, to also include Orange County for public assistance.
