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This case study examines the challenges encountered by Vermont localities affected by Hurricane Irene when trying to use federal disaster relief funds to increase resilience of their communities, particularly in transportation systems and infrastructure.

Following Irene, Vermont encountered legal barriers when FEMA initially refused to reimburse communities for the added costs of rebuilding roads and bridges to higher state standards that required culverts to accommodate additional streamflow and to minimize impacts to aquatic species. Despite the benefits for this culvert design, FEMA noted that it provided state regulators with too much discretion and thus did not comply with its requirements that standards be “uniform.” The state appealed the decision and ultimately FEMA allowed one locality to be reimbursed and is considering the appeals of other localities.

Lessons Learned from Irene: Climate Change, Federal Disaster Relief, and Barriers to Adoptive Reconstruction