Vermont Flood Recovery Community Assistance Engagement

Vermont has been impacted by a series of severe riverine flooding events over the past few years. Regional Planning Commissions and State partners have been coordinating several planning initiatives to recover from and avoid future flood damage.

The Siler Climate Consulting team received a two-part contract from Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC), with support from Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) and funding from FEMA, to work with flood-impacted communities in central Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom.

In Phase I, Siler Climate Consulting collaborated with SLR Consulting, Cormorant Collective and local partners, to design and facilitate three community events. These events were focused on flood resilience, risk reduction, and long-term adaptation. The meetings, held in Barre City, Montpelier, and Hardwick, offered residents the opportunity to engage directly with technical experts, share lived experiences, and explore options for flood mitigation and recovery. Each meeting was the result of several weeks of collaborative planning with local partners to build programming that was locally relevant and tied into ongoing conversations or initiatives. A full report and one-page handouts from Phase I are available here. 

In Phase II, Siler Climate Consulting facilitated 15 interviews with Environmental Justice leaders, community based organizations, and long-term recovery groups to understand their experiences and perspectives around flood events and the implications of Act 121. Based on key themes from these conversations, SCC developed a report with recommendations to strengthen flood regulatory standards and establish river corridor standards that consider barriers to and identify complementary programs that support equitable implementation. A full report from Phase II, including SCC’s methodology, is available here.