Valley Futures

VERMONT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Date: 08/30/11

Contact:
Mark Bosma, Public Information Officer
Vermont Emergency Management
(800) 347-0488
Time: 11:30 a.m.

Vermont Emergency Operations Center Update

BURLINGTON, VT – Vermont continues recovery efforts following the storm that hit the state Sunday and Monday. The situation is constantly changing; this is the latest information from the state Emergency Operations Center.

So far, there have been three fatalities due to the storm. It is expected an additional death will result as the missing person from Mendon has yet to be found.

There are currently 13 communities that are unreachable by vehicle due to road damage. There are more than 200 roads that are still impassable state wide and all 500 road workers from the Agency of Transportation are on the street today working on repairs. Much of that staff is working with local road crews to make isolated towns accessible.

511 or www.511vt.com is available for state road conditions. THE PUBLIC IS ASKED TO NOT CALL 211 FOR ROAD CLOSURES – THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THE EXTRA CALLS ARE IMPEDING THE STATE’S ABILITY TO REACH THOSE WHO NEED TO REPORT DAMAGE OR SHELTER INFORMATION.

The 13 isolated communities and another 8 that have only limited access will be receiving food, water and other necessities from the state later today. These supplies will be trucked or flown in to communities, depending on accessibility, by the Vermont National Guard. The provisions were shipped in Monday night from the federal staging area in Massachusetts.

The Vermont State Police continue in their efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of those in flooded towns. 130 troopers and detectives have been providing security to communities, monitoring roads looking for compromised or otherwise dangerous sections, and welfare checks. The VSP has also been responding to accidents in damaged areas. Travel in damaged areas is strongly discouraged as it can be dangerous and it could hamper road repair, utility restoration and other recovery efforts.

The Red Cross has operated shelters on an ongoing basis since Sunday morning. Hundreds of people have spent the night at a shelter or have been fed by the Red Cross.

20,000 power customers are still without service. Utility crews have restored power to more than 30,000 customers since Sunday. Some could be without service until the end of the week as road conditions are making it difficult to access some areas.

President Barack Obama approved a Federal Disaster Declaration for Vermont on Monday morning. The declaration will provide 75% reimbursement to communities for repairs to public infrastructure like roads, bridges, and public buildings.

Those returning to flooded homes must have a licensed electrician inspect their electrical system before taking residence. Those who have pollutants like fuel oil or any other hazardous materials should call a professional hazmat cleaning service to clear it up.

Vermont Emergency Management will operate its Emergency Operations Center at the FEMA offices in Burlington at least until the end of the week. Contact information for the media is 802-951-2708.

Tags: Announcements, Flood Recovery by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

Info from Jill Arace, Valley resident and Executive Director of the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts:

As you’ve probably heard, President Obama has made an emergency declaration for the State of Vermont. This declaration releases federal funding to support emergency management personnel and their activities while we’re still in this emergency phase. At a later date, there will be further declarations that will release additional funds for both emergency assistance and reconstruction. Folks from various agencies are collecting data regarding damages to make requests for additional funds from Washington. Some of these programs will support repairs retroactively.

Here is a reminder that if you intend to make any kind of claim, whether you are a homeowner, farmer, or local government, you should document your losses with date stamped photographs before you clean up. Also document any costs you are incurring.

I’m attaching here information regarding the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program, which was updated yesterday. This program supports homeowners and towns facing immediate threats to life and property with 75% of the costs. NRCS is already working with a number of towns affected by the spring flooding through this program. There are funds remaining from that effort and new funding on the way. If our towns haven’t already contacted them, I suggest you do so asap – especially Moretown – and they will send an engineer down your way to make an assessment. As you can imagine, engineers are going to be at a premium over the next weeks and months.

Emergency Watershed Protection Program.pdf

Tags: Agriculture, Announcements, Flood Recovery by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

Letter from VT Agency of Transportation to VT Legislature.

State of Vermont Agency of Transportation
Secretary’s Office
One National Life Drive [phone] 802-828-2657
Montpelier, VT 05633-5001 [fax] 802-828-3522
www.aot.state.vt.us [ttd] 800-253-0191

August 29, 2011

Shap Smith, Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
John Campbell, President Pro Tem of the Vermont Senate

Dear Rep. Smith & Senator Campbell:

I hope this letter finds you and your Members safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. I am sure you are busy, as are we
across state government, responding to the impact of his historic weather event. We are all working to ensure that State
Agencies of Vermont are responding to this disaster in a well coordinated manner and are reaching out to you to both
inform you of our efforts and to ask for your assistance in verifying information we are receiving regarding the needs of
your communities.

As you know our infrastructure has received significant damage and we spent the much of the day today in an emergency
response and assessment mode. Our district forces, the front line of VTrans, have been out in force since the rain began
on Sunday morning working, straight out, to ensure safe travel. The leadership team at VTrans was very busy today
evaluating the extent of damage and need across the state and developing action plans to address them. We are beginning
to see some road openings by the district forces today and we will see more tomorrow and in the near future.

At this time our priority is to restoring access to communities that have been cut off from the rest of Vermont. Our goal is
to provide basic access to these twelve communities for life sustaining supplies which, in some cases, will take some
significant work due to the extent of the damage. It may take a little while for the roads to be passable for residents of
these communities. Our district staff, working with Vermont Emergency Management, has compiled (below) the
following list of communities that are isolated from the rest of the state. We appreciate verifying whether this information
is accurate and complete. Our goal is to have these roads passable for supply vehicles by Tuesday PM.

District 1:
Marlboro, Route 9

District 2:
Cavendish, Route 131
Stratton Route 100 (Town road)
Wardsboro Route 100

District 3:
Pittsfield Route 100
Mendon/Killington US4
Plymouth Route 100

District 4:
Rochester Routes 100
Stockbridge Routes 100 and 107
Granville Route 100
Hancock Route 125
Strafford (partially cut off – they have access to a town road)

Tomorrow we will also be evaluating and assessing more permanent solutions for public access to these communities,
although this may take more time and resources. We are also coordinating relief efforts with Vermont Emergency
Management and FEMA for the delivery of supplies for these communities which will be delivered on Tuesday evening.

In addition, by end of day tomorrow we will have a VTrans team of engineers and technicians to every state road closure
to develop action plans to restore the asset for public use. We are also sending bridge inspection teams to inspect and
evaluate all bridges that were closed or that were damaged in the flood.

We know there are a great number of communities in need. VTrans’ next area of focus is opening roadways to those
communities that the utilities have identified as necessary to restore service.

We have enlisted dozens of contractors to initiate repair work and are requesting assistance from FEMA, our neighboring
states and are coordinating all State agency efforts through the Emergency Operation Center.

We will continue to communicate with the media and the Legislative leadership in order to keep you up to date with our
activities, and so that you can help inform us of outstanding needs in Vermont communities. Please do not hesitate to
share your needs with either me or Chris Cole, Director of Policy Planning and Intermodal development
(chris.cole@state.vt.us 828-1647). Given the extent of need out in the District, we encourage you to contact us in lieu of
the district forces or other staff at VTrans, so that they can remain focused on rebuilding our state.

This level of destruction to our State infrastructure is unprecedented in modern Vermont history. It will take all levels of
government, and the people of the State of Vermont, working together to meet our challenge

Many thanks for your service.

Sue Minter, Deputy Secretary of Transportation

Irene ltr to leg 8-29

Tags: Announcements, Flood Recovery by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

Here is a release from VEMA announcing that FEMA aid will be distributed to communities Tuesday by the National Guard by road or by air.

VERMONT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Date: 08/29/11
Contact:
Robert Stirewalt, Public Information Officer
Vermont Emergency Management
(802) 951-2708

Time: 2215

ADVISORY: FEMA Distribution Center to be Established at Camp Johnson

BURLINGTON, VT – Thirty Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trucks carrying emergency supplies are scheduled to arrive in Vermont tonight to provide aid for the thousands of Vermonters affected by Hurricane Irene.

FEMA vehicles, carrying supplies such as food, blankets and other necessary items, will be establishing a distribution center at Camp Johnson in Colchester. From there, the relief supplies will be distributed to the Vermont communities in greatest need starting at sunrise on Tuesday, August 30.

Some communities are unreachable by roadways, so helicopters will be dispatched to distribute those supplies. National Guard will distribute the supplies to the communities reachable by land.

“Our goal is to reach all Vermonters who have been affected by the storm and find themselves in need at this time,” said Gov. Peter Shumlin.  “We are utilizing all available resources – local, state and federal – to get commodities to those in need.”

“This identified objective of commodity distribution is consistent with the Governor’s goal of assuring the safety and stability of all Vermonters affected by this storm,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn, “and is done with the cooperation of our federal, state and local partners.”

Officials ask the public not to come to Camp Johnson to pick up supplies but to wait for their distribution on TUESDAY morning.

Tags: Announcements, Flood Recovery by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

Tags: Announcements, Energy by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

How can Vermont build strong local and regional food systems, create jobs in the food and farm economy, and improve access to healthy local food? The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund has laid out an impressive road map for the next 10 years of agricultural development with the release of the Farm to Plate (F2P) Strategic Plan in January 2011. Ellen Kahler, Executive Director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, will lead this presentation to discuss the findings of the Initiative’s exhaustive 18-month research project and present their strategies to increase jobs and enterprises in the farm and food sector and ramp up local food production and consumption in Vermont and regions beyond our borders. Current Mad River Valley initiatives will be discussed. Go to the project website (here) to read the report in advance of the meeting. This presentation is cosponsored by the Mad River Valley Localvore Project and the Mad River Valley Planning District.

Tags: Agriculture, Announcements, Business by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

On Tuesday, January 25th, 7-9 PM at the Waitsfield Elementary School Library, come out and hear about the Smart Grid. VT has received substantial funding to develop a comprehensive Smart Grid system, consisting of electric meters that communicate in real time – high speed information and communication technology that change the way utilities operate and how customers interact with them. The result is greater reliability, operational efficiency and customer choice. VT received $69 million in federal grants last year, matched by the utilities, resulting in a $138 million total investment, to be installed state-wide in 2012. Presentation from Robert Dostis, Leader of External Affairs and Customer Relations at Green Mountain Power and the former Chair of the Vermont House Natural Resources and Energy Committee.

This event is rescheduled from 1/12/11 due to weather.

Tags: Announcements, Energy by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

On the evening of December 8 at the Big Picture, Mad River Valley residents are invited to hear about the experiences and recommendations of UVM students, who have been working on local projects.

For the second year in a row, the Mad River Valley has served as the focus of a University of Vermont course within its Community Development & Applied Economics Department.  The 15 students in the service learning course, titled “Local Community Initiatives,” have been working closely with a handful of the Valley’s community organizations and taking an active role in local projects. The students are learning about the different ways that community-members work together to identify challenges, resources and solutions and how they envision their future.

At a Sept 15^th kick-off meeting at the Knoll Farm, the students met with residents of the Mad River Valley and initiated their projects. The three projects are (a) to develop recommendations for interpretive installations along the Mad River Path, (b) to provide feedback and recommendations for the mission and organization of Mad Bikes of Waitsfield, and (c) to survey food producers and consumers in the Mad River Valley and identify challenges and opportunities for local food efforts.

The students will present the final deliverables and recommendations of their projects at 6:00 PM at the Big Picture Theater on Wednesday, December 8.  Each of the student groups will give their presentation and then welcome questions and comments from Mad River Valley community members.  Celebration and conversation will follow.  All Valley residents are invited.

“It is exciting to witness this truly dynamic collaboration between UVM students and Mad River Valley citizens,” explains Joshua Schwartz, Executive Director of the Mad River Valley Planning District. “We are looking forward to the student presentations on December 8^th.

Local groups that the students have been working with include Mad Bikes of Waitsfield, the Mad River Valley Localvore Project, the Mad River Path Association, the Mad River Valley Planning District, and the Valley Futures Network.

“We’ve experienced a second great semester of partnership and contact with Mad River Valley groups and residents,” says course lecturer Will “Chip” Sawyer.  “This Valley represents a rich ‘laboratory’ for students to learn first-hand what it is like to engage in your community and try to make a difference.  That is the primary educational goal of the course.”

In the summers of 2009 and 2010 Sawyer worked closely with Joshua Schwartz of the Mad River Valley Planning District, and other members of the Valley Futures Network, to communicate the course idea to Valley residents and collect ideas for student projects.  Sawyer reports that planning will soon be in the works for another round of the course in the fall of 2011.

Tags: Agriculture, Announcements, Transportation by Joshua Schwartz
1 Comment »

For the second year in a row the MRV is partnering with UVM in a service learning course in the Community Development Applied Economics Department entitled Local Community Initiatives. The description is as follows:

Students will take an active role in local projects addressing a variety of essential community issues in the Mad River Valley region of Vermont with our course partners, the Mad River Valley Planning District and the Valley Futures Network. Through local project work, case studies, course texts, student research and class discussions, we will learn about the different ways that community members work together to identify challenges, resources and solutions and how they envision their future.

As stated above, the intent of the course in relation to VFN is two-fold, participate in specific projects and analyze VFN as an effective community group. The students will visit the Valley on at least three occasions: once to familiarize themselves with VFN and kick-off group projects (9/15), participation in various specific projects, and a final time to present final projects (12/2 or 12/9).

The students will break into groups to focus on the following three projects throughout the semester:

• Mad River Path Interpretive Materials (Autumn Foushee)
• Mad Bikes Research (Laura Brines)
• MRV Local Food Market Study (Jill Arace).

The kick-off event is scheduled for Wednesday, 9/15, 7- 9:00 PM at Knoll Farm. This is the first opportunity for the students to meet and understand VFN, along with initiating their student projects. All VFN folks, along with those interested in learning more about VFN, are encouraged to attend. This is also a dessert potluck, so please bring your tastiest treats to share with our neighbors and guests.

The success of this project is dependent on VFN member involvement! Let’s make a strong showing for our guests and our future at tomorrow night’s event.

Tags: Agriculture, Announcements, Transportation by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »

On June 15th, Mad River Path Association will host a Valley Dog Owner Summit from 6:30-8PM at the Waitsfield Elementary School gym. The event will be a community forum to discuss the topic of an off-leash area for dogs. Presenters will provide information about dog safety, local leash ordinances, and the Mad River Path. The goal will be to identify actions to help the community find an off-leash area for Valley dogs. The Waitsfield Elementary School cannot allows dogs in the building, however dog owners and non-dog owners should join us to share your thoughts and ideas for this common goal. We hope to see you there!

Tags: Announcements by Joshua Schwartz
No Comments »