WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-At-Large) this week called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to quickly approve Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation for the State of Vermont, including for Orange, Washington, Caledonia, Orleans, Essex, Lamoille, Chittenden, and Addison counties. The lawmakers also urged USDA to approve any additional requests for support forthcoming from the state.  

“On July 10, 2024—just one year after the most catastrophic flooding Vermont has seen in nearly a century—our state was struck by remnants of Hurricane Beryl, causing severe flooding across northern and central Vermont. More than five inches of rain fell in numerous towns, with the town of Walden receiving 7.25 inches of precipitation. This intense rainfall over a short period of time damaged railways, destroyed crops, and washed away roads, bridges, and culverts,” wrote the lawmakers. “Vermont’s farms—still in the process of recovering from last year’s floods—were also heavily impacted, and it is imperative that the federal government, working in conjunction with the state, mobilize as many resources as possible to aid our agricultural sector. We therefore ask that you quickly approve Governor Scott’s request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation and any additional requests for support forthcoming from the state.”  

“We are grateful for all the support USDA has already provided and would like to reiterate how critical that is to mitigating the impact of this natural disaster on Vermont farms and communities. Together we can help Vermont’s farmers successfully respond to this disaster and facilitate their path to recovery,” concluded the lawmakers.  

The USDA request comes as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares an initial damage assessment of impacted communities, a necessary step in determining what federal funding the state could receive. 

Read the full letter. 

###