Ever since Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, Vermont has been pushing to make sure bridges and culverts are rebuilt to more flood-resistant standards. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency is rejecting, at least for now, the state's argument that the federal agency should pay 90 percent of the extra costs.
A June 4 letter from FEMA to the state, obtained by The Associated Press, says Vermont doesn't enforce the higher standards in a uniform enough fashion to warrant FEMA funding beyond the replacement cost of previously existing structures.
The result is many local towns potentially facing the costs of meeting state requirements for better bridges and culverts, without full FEMA funding to get the work done.
FEMA has provided discretionary hazard mitigation funding for many projects.
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