Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced the award of $2.6 million to towns, state agencies, and non-profits in Vermont to reduce the future public safety and water quality impacts of climate-related flood hazards.
The projects, funded under the Flood Resilient Community Fund program, will improve the landscape, enhance community resilience to flooding, and improve water quality in Vermont.
Eleven projects have been awarded funding, ranging in scope from purchasing properties in flood-prone areas to planting trees for a culvert project. All projects are designed to improve stream flows and water retention. All property buyouts are done with the mutual consent of the current property owner.
“These are investments in Vermont’s future,” said Governor Scott. “By removing at-risk structures and taking other steps to mitigate the impacts of flooding, we make our communities safer and avoid repetitive repair costs to roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure.”
The Flood Resilient Community Fund was established in the spring of 2021. The $4,880,000 program is funded with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. An additional $2 million is available for a second round of awards in early 2022.
“We want cities, towns, non-profits, and other potential applicants to know that money is still available,” Vermont Emergency Management Director Erica Bornemann said. “We encourage towns to think creatively about what types of projects could make a difference in their communities.”
Funds will be awarded to:
- Town of Berlin – purchase of flood-prone structure
- Town of Brandon x3 – purchase of flood-prone structures
- Town of Rockingham – purchase of structure threatened by landslides
- Town of Randolph – purchase of flood-prone structure
- Town of Johnson – purchase of vacant parcel for floodplain restoration
- Brattleboro Housing Authority – floodplain restoration
- Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission – floodplain restoration project
- Friends of the Mad River – planning, scoping, outreach on development of priority projects
- Town of Cabot – riparian tree plantings for culvert project
Municipalities and other potential applicants should reach out to Vermont Emergency Management at 802-989-6793 or stephanie.a.smith@vermont.gov. The application deadline for round two of funding is January 31, 2022.
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