FEMA Denies Disaster Aid for 2025 Vermont Flooding

Towns in the Northeast Kingdom must find other ways to fund recovery efforts after major damage.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has denied a request for disaster aid to help towns in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom recover from major flooding in 2025. The denial leaves municipalities like Sutton, Burke, Sheffield, and Wheelock scrambling to find funding for repairs to homes, roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure that sustained over $1.85 million in damage. Without FEMA reimbursement, towns may need to raise taxes or seek grants to cover the costs.

Why it matters

The FEMA denial highlights the growing challenge Vermont communities face in recovering from increasingly frequent and extreme weather events. As climate change drives more severe storms, the lack of federal disaster aid could force towns to make difficult budget decisions and leave residents to shoulder higher tax burdens for essential infrastructure repairs.

The details

In July 2025, torrential rain and flash flooding caused major damage across several Northeast Kingdom towns. Vermont Governor Phil Scott requested a Major Disaster Declaration from FEMA, estimating the damage at $1.85 million. However, FEMA denied the state's initial request in October 2025 and its subsequent appeal in February 2026, stating that 'supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted.' Without FEMA reimbursement for up to 75% of repair costs, towns must now find other ways to fund the work, which could include taking out loans or raising taxes.

  • On July 10, 2025, torrential rain and flash flooding caused major damage in several Northeast Kingdom towns.
  • In August 2025, Governor Phil Scott requested a Major Disaster Declaration from FEMA.
  • In October 2025, the Trump Administration denied Vermont's request for disaster aid.
  • In November 2025, the state appealed FEMA's denial.
  • On February 7, 2026, FEMA issued a final rejection of Vermont's appeal.

The players

Phil Scott

The Governor of Vermont who requested disaster aid from FEMA after the 2025 flooding.

Jim Sullivan

The town administrator of Burke, Vermont, who expressed concern about the town's financial position and preparedness for future storms after the FEMA denial.

Patricia McClure

The town clerk of Sutton, Vermont, who stated the town would need to take out a loan to pay for repairs unless it obtained FEMA funding.

Eric Forand

The director of Vermont Emergency Management, who said there are no further options for the affected towns to get money from FEMA for the 2025 storm.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

The federal agency that denied Vermont's request for disaster aid to help towns recover from the 2025 flooding.

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What they’re saying

“The impacts of this storm, in conjunction with previous storms, exceed the resources of the State of Vermont.”

— Phil Scott, Governor of Vermont (VTDigger)

“After you see it three years in a row, you really have to be almost thinking that it is going to happen, not that it may happen.”

— Jim Sullivan, Town Administrator of Burke, Vermont (VTDigger)

“We would be looking at a five-year loan at 1.3%, and that's gonna significantly raise our taxes.”

— Patricia McClure, Town Clerk of Sutton, Vermont (VTDigger)

What’s next

Vermont officials are working to get clarification from the federal government on the implications of FEMA's denial and exploring options for state-level funding to support the affected towns.

The takeaway

The FEMA denial highlights the growing financial burden on Vermont communities to recover from extreme weather events driven by climate change, raising concerns about the ability of small towns to afford essential infrastructure repairs without significant federal assistance.