Dear Fellow Vermonter,
On July 10, exactly one year after the worst Vermont flooding in nearly a century, a number of Vermont communities were, once again, hit by floods.
Some of the hardest hit towns were Barre, Barton, Hardwick, Johnson, Lyndon, Middlesex, Moretown, Plainfield, Richmond, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, Waterbury, Peacham, and Barnet.
What makes this year’s flooding so awful is not just the significant damage done to homes, businesses, and infrastructure. But the reality that many of the people recently impacted were the same exact people who had to deal with the floods of a year ago.
These folks spent a year struggling to get back on their feet – and now they have to start all over again.
Needless to say, my office will do all that we can to bring federal resources into the state to help impacted communities recover as quickly as possible. I have spoken to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about the role that FEMA can play, and my staff is working hard to coordinate federal, state, and local efforts.
In the midst of these local disasters, we should not lose sight of the fact that these extreme weather disturbances are becoming more and more frequent not just in Vermont, not just in the United States, but all over the world. We're talking about more and more floods, drought, forest fires, and other destructive occurrences. And that is clearly the result of climate change. Just today, Tuesday, the Washington Post had a headline stating: “Sunday was the hottest day ever recorded on Earth, scientists say.” That’s scary stuff. And that’s why the United States and countries throughout the world have got to work together in an urgent manner to transform our energy systems away from fossil fuels into energy efficiency and sustainable energy. The future of the planet is at stake. For the sake of our kids and future generations, we cannot fail.
Please read on below to find a helpful compilation of flood resources and please do not hesitate to contact my office if you think we can be of help. Our toll free number is 1-800-339-9834.
Sincerely,
![Bernie_signature_image.jpg Image](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/SenSanders/Bernie_signature_image.jpg)
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