Is Your Community Flood Ready?

How will post-disaster funding for communities change in October?  

What does your community need to do?  

Is you community planning in order to avoid flood damage?

Visit the new Flood Ready Vermont website www.floodready.vermont.gov to find out.  

Flood Ready Vermont has the tools and data your community needs to:

• Get up to speed on the Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund (ERAF);
• Identify flood hazards and take action to minimize future damage;
• Update your community plans; and,
• Find out what communities are doing to get flood ready

Use the Flood Ready Atlas to help you identify what is working to keep your community flood resilient and where structures are at risk.  Community Reports quickly compile useful information for your municipal and hazard mitigation plans.  

Flood Ready Vermont www.floodready.vermont.gov is a place where community leaders can share information and ideas to make our communities more flood resilient.  

Funding for the design of the website was provided by the High Meadows Fund, promoting vibrant communities and a healthy natural environment while encouraging long term economic vitality in Vermont; and through a Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant.

Early partners to inspire and help launch the site include the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) and the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), as ably represented by David Deen, Upper Valley River Steward for CRWC; Angela Mrozinski, Outreach Director for CRWC; Ron Rhodes, North Country River Steward for CRWC; and Anthony Iarrapino, Senior Attorney for CLF.

The website development and design team was led by Daniel Shearer, Tamarack Media Cooperative, and Beka Mandell, Webskillet Cooperative.

Let us know what you think and tell your story about working for flood resilience!

Plan Ahead: Future Disasters

In January Vermont Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding sent a letter to all Select Boards to encourage Vermont communities to become more flood resilient and to take advantage of post-disaster funding available after October 23.

In the wake of a federally-declared disaster Municipalities may be reimbursed for 75 % of eligible damage by federal taxpayers.  Through ERAF (the Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund) the State will contribute an additional 7.5 % to help cover the damage costs. However, where communities have taken actions to avoid and reduce future damage they will be eligible for more support from the State.

At this time Select Boards can adopt road standards based on the current 2014 - 2016 Orange Book.  After Town Meeting communities can update their Local Emergency Operations Plans.  By keeping plans current and taking steps to avoid and reduce damage from flooding the State will provide 12.5 or 17.5 % of post-disaster funding.

For more information please see:

• Jeb Spaulding's Letter to Select Boards
• Flood Resilience Sharepoint  tinyurl.com/floodresilience  
• FEMA:  Major Disasters in Vermont 
• VPR Mapping the Money: Tropical Storm Irene
• SHELDUS: Hazard Events and Losses by State

Bennington County DFIRM Update

The Bennington County Preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) will be updated by FEMA to include new data provided by the Town of Bennington for flood hazards along the Roaring Branch of the Walloomsac.  The new Preliminary DFIRM will be released in the fall and a new 90-day Review and Appeal Period will open in February 2014. 

At this time it is projected that the Bennington County DFIRM will get a Letter of Final Determination in September 2014 and become effective in March 2015.

The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 has expanded the opportunities for map appeals.  Now, where ever the delineation of the flood hazard has changed (not just the Base Flood Elevation) the community can present FEMA with higher quality engineering data for inclusion.  Please see the information at: Changes to FEMA’s Appeals Process.

Communities in Bennington County that are still in the process of updating their flood hazard area bylaws should plan to complete the process before the holidays 2014.

In the meantime, communities may want to update their bylaws to qualify for Flood Resilient Communities incentives under ERAF.