Irene flooding updates

Irene flooding updates

August 31, 2011

Tropical Storm Irene has caused major damage to public and private property in the White River watershed.

Resources

The Vermont Department of Health has published Post-Irene_soil_cleanup_info.

The CDC has published Guidance on Microbial Contamination in Previously Flooded Outdoor Areas.

Representatives from Vermont communities in counties affected by Tropical Storm Irene are invited to meetings on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10 to learn how to apply for federal reimbursement for flood response and recovery costs for eligible public infrastructure such as debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations.

The Vermont Department of Health has set up Hazardous Waster Drop-off Locations around the state. Report oil or gas spills to the VT Emergency Hazardous Materials Spill Hotline: 802-241-3888.

The Vermont Department of Health is offering free drinking water test kits for residents with private wells that may have been affected by flooding.

Individuals and businesses that sustained damages from Irene, should register for FEMA assistance. Call 1-800-621-FEMA or visit www.disasterassistance.gov.

Agricultural producers should report farm damages to local USDA Farm Service Agency offices; disaster assistance may be available. In Windsor and and Orange Counties, call 802-295-7942×10. In Rutland County, call 802-775-8034. And in Addison County, call 802-388-6748.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises that certain foods exposed to flood waters, and perishable foods that are not adequately refrigerated, are adulterated and should not enter the human food supply.

Up to $10 Million is available through VEDA’s Hurricane Irene Assistance Loan Program to assist Vermont businesses and farms in their efforts to recover from direct physical damage caused by flooding related to Hurricane Irene. For more information, call 802-828-5627.

The Agency of Natural Resources has published Guidelines_for_Instream_Work.

FEMA has published Repairing_Your_Flooded_Home for homeowners affected by floods.

For the latest updates from Vermont Emergency Management, visit this link.

WRP news

The WRP will coordinate the following river cleanups this fall to remove debris left behind by flood waters:

  • Saturday, September 17 from 1:30 – 3:30pm in South Royalton. Meet at Vermont Law School’s Debevoise Hall.
  • Friday, September 30 from 8:00 – 12:00pm in Rochester. Meet in the Rochester School parking lot.
  • Saturday, October 1 from 9:00 – 12:00pm in Hartford. Meet in the CCV parking lot in Wilder.

To report a site in need of cleanup, please fill out the Scouting Report on the Connecticut River Watershed Council’s website.

WRP staff are working with technical partners to offer assistance to watershed towns in tracking damages to public property that may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance funds. Stay tuned for opportunities to help.

WRP staff will be in the office sporadically this week. If you need to contact us, please leave a phone message, which we’ll check twice each day.

Watershed news

Several watershed communities have websites to help coordinate recovery efforts, including Bethel, Braintree, Hartford, Pittsfield, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, and Stockbridge.

To learn about opportunities to volunteer in the White River watershed and beyond, visit VTResponse.

Several communities have started disaster relief funds to help residents and businesses impacted by flooding:

  • Bethel – Send checks to “Bethel Relief Fund,” c/o Town of Bethel, PO Box 404, Bethel, VT 05032.
  • Pittsfield – Send checks to “Pittsfield Federated Church Hurricane Relief Fund,” PO Box 623, Pittsfield, VT 05762.
  • Rochester – Send checks made out to “Relief for Rochester Vermont,” c/o Town of Rochester, PO Box 238, Rochester, VT 05767.
  • Royalton – Send checks made out to “Operation Revive Royalton,” c/o Town of Royalton, PO Box 680, S. Royalton, VT 05068.
  • Sharon – Send checks made out to “Town of Sharon Irene Fund, ” c/o Town of Sharon, PO Box 250, Sharon, VT 05065.