Emergency Resources

July Flood Resources: Members Supporting Members

8.7.23

You can find the U.S. Small Business Administration Fact Sheet/Disaster Loans HERE: SBA fact sheet

Storm Recovery Update As the State and FEMA work to assess damage and get other counties declared, it remains critical for Vermonters to report flood damage to 211, especially in undeclared counties. Doing so will help FEMA open financial assistance and help the State ask for additional assistance from Congress. Even if you don’t need support yourself, or have already cleaned up or made repairs, reporting your damage will help your neighbors. Report your damage at Vermont211.org or call 211. To date, FEMA has approved more than $4.2 million in individual disaster assistance for homeowners and renters who live in Vermont’s eight disaster declared counties: Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor. Renters could also be eligible for Other Needs Assistance which can cover replacement of property and the cost of medical care, moving, and storage fees. Learn more here. The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) is hard at work developing the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program.  This $20 million dollar program will help businesses and nonprofits that suffered physical losses in the flooding work toward reopening.  ACCD will have more information in the coming days on the particulars of this program and how to apply.

Department of Labor Update The Vermont Department of Labor has opened the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program for those affected by the flood. If employees are denied or deemed ineligible for traditional unemployment, they could qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.  Go to the Vermont Department of Labor website to learn more.

New Guidance Resources The Vermont Department of Health has released guidance on how to manage mold after a flood. Municipalities dealing with physical damage while trying to help their residents and run their local governments can refer to new guidance from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. The 2023 Flood State of Emergency Legal FAQscan help municipal officials during this disaster.

Webinar Recording Available ACCD recently hosted a webinar with FEMA, the SBA, businesses and nonprofits titled “FEMA & the SBA During a Disaster Response”. Watch the webinar here to learn more about federal assistance and what these organizations do and don’t do in an emergency.  When viewing the webinar, to access a variety of language translations you can toggle the closed captioning via the settings button.

SBA Update and Reminders The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that certain private nonprofit organizations in Vermont that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans for damages from severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on July 7, 2023.  Find more information in the SBA press release. As a reminder, loans for businesses in declared counties are available from the SBA. To learn more about SBA disaster loans visit disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ or call 1-800-659-2955. You can also go in person to one of Vermont’s three SBA Business Recovery Centers to talk through options and the process: Washington County Vermont Chamber of Commerce 751 Granger Road in Berlin Monday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Windsor County Engel & Völkers Okemo Building 126 Main Street in Ludlow Monday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Lamoille County Lamoille County Agriculture Building 29 Sunset Drive in Morrisville Monday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

 

Vermont.gov Resource Page A full list of resources, including how to access specific individual support and assistance, is available at Vermont.gov/flood.  This resources page covers all statewide and federal resources that can support Vermonters in the wake of this disaster and provides links to access those resources.

GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT EXTENDS DEADLINES FOR UPCOMING VERMONT TAX DUE DATES FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY HISTORIC FLOODING

7.19.23 Berlin, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today directed the Commissioner of Taxes to extend Vermont tax deadlines for Vermonters impacted by the severe flooding of July 2023. Taxpayers impacted by flooding and unable to meet Vermont tax deadlines between July 7, 2023, and November 15, 2023, will now have until November 15, 2023, to file and pay taxes.

“We know many Vermonters are facing significant hardship following the catastrophic flooding we experienced,” said Governor Scott. “My team is working hard to identify creative ways the State can help fill the gap and offer relief. This is one step, and we will announce further action in the coming days.”

Taxpayers impacted by the flood do not need to contact the Department of Taxes to request extensions for the tax types listed below. Due dates between July 7, 2023 and November 15, 2023 will automatically be extended for taxpayers impacted by the flooding for:

• Corporate and business income tax, including estimated payments
• Sales and use tax
• Meals and rooms tax
• Payroll withholding tax
• Estimated personal income tax payments, originally due September 15, 2023
• Filing of 2022 Vermont personal income taxes with a valid federal or Vermont extension

Those with Vermont tax obligations beyond what is listed above, due between July 7 and November 15, 2023, can request extensions by contacting the department’s Taxpayer Services Division for assistance. Note that in some cases, the department may ask for proof of hardship to grant extensions.

The tax relief summarized above is for those impacted by July’s severe flooding. Taxpayers not impacted by the flood are expected to file and pay taxes by their original due dates.

In response to the national disaster declaration for Vermont, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has also extended deadlines to file and pay certain federal taxes for Vermont residents and businesses impacted by the flooding. Please refer to the IRS guidance for details about federal tax relief.

Steps Businesses Can Take Right Now:

• Document damage to your business and inventory by taking photos and videos when it is safe to do so
• Keep a list of damaged or lost items and try to find the date of purchase, value, or any receipts
• Contact your insurance company to file a claim or for more information on what losses may be covered

BASIN HARBOR in Vergennes is offering an employee room rate for displaced Vermonters. www.basinharbor.com. Call 802.475.2311 for more info,

If you’ve been affected by the recent rains, or know of needs in your community, PLEASE LET US KNOW if we or a nearby VLA member can assist/support you.

As we have been asked by state committees to collect information from our members to assist with building recovery programs, please email us to let us know if your business was damaged by floodwater and if so: What was the extent of the damage (inventory/equipment/structural/driveway/parking lot)? Also, do you have insurance coverage? Are you sure it covers rising waters?

Here is a link to a SBA Disaster Recovery Handbook. It will be awhile before we have concrete FEMA and state disaster recovery info and links to share with you, but please know we are following the situation closely. See White House press release below.

Asbestos Contamination
There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. Because of this health threat, it is highly recommended that flood-damaged asbestos-containing material be repaired, enclosed, encapsulated, or safely removed.

To assist homeowners who may be unsure of what to do following a natural disaster that resulted in flood damage, The Mesothelioma Center havscreated an Asbestos and Natural Disasters Guide: asbestos.com/asbestos/natural-disasters/.They also feature a guide dedicated to mesothelioma: asbestos.com/mesothelioma/.

Recovery Update From the Agency of Commerce and Community Development

SBA Meeting ACCD and regional economic development partners met with federal SBA officials today in anticipation of the disaster declaration being signed. The meeting was productive in letting the SBA the critical need that exists and that there is great desire from local and state officials to deliver that support quickly. ACCD will continue to provide updates as more detail about the process becomes available. For now, if you are a business and have experienced damage, please register your damage with Vermont 211 through their online form.  This form does not initiate or guarantee aid, but will allow ACCD, Vermont Emergency Management, and regional economic development partners to have a central outreach database for getting information directly to businesses in a timely manner.  If you are unable to use the online form, you can also call 2-1-1 and a call taker will gather your information. We have heard some confusion about how the clean-up will affect access to disaster loans. The SBA has confirmed that: Businesses can clean up the mud and debris along with damaged inventory, equipment, furniture, and fixtures, and remain eligible for disaster loans but must take pictures of everything and document all expenses. Businesses can replace ruined inventory, equipment, and supplies and remain eligible for disaster loans but must take pictures of everything and document all expenses. Volunteer Sign-up & Registration Group Registration If you are looking to volunteer to support the clean-up and recovery, the state has set up a volunteer portal that allows you to register and be deployed to areas most in need.  If you are an organization with a group of volunteers looking to serve please email volunteer@vermont.gov to register.  If you are in need of volunteers in your area please email volunteer@vermont.gov to ask for volunteers. Donate to Storm Recovery Efforts There are multiple efforts underway to begin raising funds for recovery in the state. The Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund has been established to provide grants to small businesses in the wake of the storm. The Vermont Community Foundation has opened the VT Flood Response and Recovery Fund 2023 to support Vermonters responding to and recovering from the floods. Please consider donating. Group Registration ACCD Flood Resource Center ACCD has set up a resource page, which will be the central landing place for all information about flooding resources coming from the agency as we move further into recovery.  The resource page will be adding guidance, partner guides, charitable funds, and storm related items for the Vermont business community in the days and weeks ahead. Please consider donating.