Press Releases

BURLINGTON, VT – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), today announced the delivery of over $33.2 million in new federal funding, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support flood recovery and resiliency in Vermont. 

This funding includes more than $27.6 million to support the buyout of at least 90 homes across Vermont that are located within a floodplain, at risk of landslide, or sustained irreparable damage from flooding in 2023 and 2024. Families who applied for buyouts will receive compensation for their property from the state of Vermont. The state will then demolish the structure and maintain the land as open green space in perpetuity. The additional $5.6 million in funding will support costs associated with the administration of Vermont’s Emergency Management and future hazard mitigation plans. 

“Over the last several years, our office has worked with Vermonters who were uprooted from their homes and left to navigate the complicated FEMA grant-making process while waiting far too long for a path forward,” said Rep. Balint. “For many families, this funding will bring welcome—though bittersweet—closure after years of uncertainty. It will also provide real economic relief and give communities much needed resources to become more resilient to future flooding. I’m grateful to everyone who kept pushing to get these dollars out the door, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure Vermont gets the federal support it needs to recover and rebuild.”  

“For too many Vermonters, our state’s recent floods are painful memories of homes washed away, livelihoods destroyed, roads and bridges decimated, and sadly, lives lost. There is no good reason that Vermonters should have to wait years to receive the help they need to recover and rebuild when disasters strike. Volunteers, town work crews, rescue teams, state and local employees and fellow Vermonters have done extraordinary work over the past three years to keep our communities safe, and this long-overdue federal funding will help make Vermont more resilient against the future floods and other climate impacts we unfortunately know are coming,” said Senator Sanders. 

“To say that these buyouts are long-overdue is a massive understatement. We have Vermonters whose lives and livelihoods were in limbo for over three years as they waited for FEMA to act. These buyouts are a major step in the right direction, but our work helping folks recover from these floods isn’t over—not by a long shot,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure flood-impacted Vermonters gets the support they need and deserve to rebuild their homes and lives.” 

###