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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending Vermont $22 million to cover its costs in cleaning up debris and stabilizing state buildings in the capital city of Montpelier following last summer's historic flooding, according to VTDigger, a nonprofit online news service.

The bulk of the federal reimbursement to the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) is meant to repay it for removing contaminated floodwaters from 14 state buildings and dehumidifying them, FEMA said in an April 19 news release.

The money comes in the form of two grants of $14,375,582 and $6,820,765, respectively.

Of the 14 Montpelier structure's that were eligible to receive the funds, a full two dozen are located along State Street, including Vermont's:

• Defender General's office at 6 Baldwin Ave.
• Division of Liquor Control at 13 Green Mountain Dr.
• Pavilion Office Building at 109 State St., which includes the offices of Gov. Phil Scott and his senior staffers.
• Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriff's office at 110 State.
• Supreme Court Building just across the street at 111 State.
• Agriculture Agency building at 116 State.
• Office of Veterans Affairs building at 118 State.
• State Commission on Women offices at 126 State.
• Secretary of State building at 128 State.
• State Auditor's building at 132 State.
• State Tax Department at 133 State.
• State Arts Council at 136 State.
• State Information Center at 134 State.
• Green Mountain Care Board offices at 144 State.

BGS also contracted to remove moisture from the buildings to prevent further damage using portable generators, air moving equipment, lighting and portable cameras to monitor unmanned equipment.

Another $1 million is being sent to Vermont to allow it to recover state payments to contractors for the removal of nearly 12 tons of construction, demolition and vegetative debris, the latter of which included damaged trees and broken limbs from roads and public property.

The payment also covered the cost of hauling the waste to a disposal site, according to FEMA.

VTDigger earlier reported that the July 2023 statewide storms had impacted 22 state buildings in the capital.

Affected officials and employees, including state Supreme Court staffers, along with Scott and his staff, moved to temporary workspaces. The floodwaters also had damaged all of the computers at the Green Mountain Care Board offices.

"Reimbursing state, county and municipal governments, as well as eligible nonprofits and tribal entities, for the costs incurred as a result of this disaster is an important part of the state's recovery," FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich said in the statement.

The $22 million reimbursement comes from FEMA's Public Assistance Program, a source of funding nationwide for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

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