Vermont Emergency Management officials say the federal government has approved the state's new hazard mitigation plan.
Vermont Hazard Mitigation Officer Ray Doherty says the plan is an overall blueprint to strengthen public infrastructure and reduce damage caused by future storms or other disasters.
The approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency means the state will be eligible to receive federal grants to reduce future flood and towns that adopt their own plans will be eligible to receive more state money when responding to future disasters.
Some of the things the new plan recommends are larger culverts, strengthening bridges to reduce their vulnerability to future flooding and it encourages communities to adopt rules to prevent development in flood-prone areas.
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