Editorial: FEMA flap

While we appreciate the Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing a new option for Vermonters buy a National Flood Insurance Program Policy, color us skeptical.

Vermont's frustration with FEMA hit the high-water mark in the last few years, with delays and red tape. Then came news this week that FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told state disaster response officials the Trump administration soon plans to shift disaster response to state governments.

So the government will take our flood insurance premiums for naught?

U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, a long advocate for disaster aid and flood mitigation funding, condemned Hamilton's statement. "President Trump's efforts to dismantle FEMA and limit the federal government's disaster response will put countless Americans in danger and destroy state and local economies. The Trump Administration has little concern or understanding of the limited capacity of state governments to respond in the wake of a disaster. State and municipal governments do herculean work after a disaster hits, but many communities simply do not have the capacity or budget to rebuild and repair. The federal government must help states weather the storm."

Vermonters are going to need some assurances before they go off and start relying on FEMA's flood insurance.

According to a news release, the portal at Floodsmart.gov is accessible nationwide, with the online purchase option available to anyone living in one of the almost 22,700 participating NFIP communities.

"This development aligns with President Donald J. Trump's America First Resilience Strategy, which outlines a risk-informed approach to resilience that empowers the American people to protect themselves and their property. Individuals are the first line of resilience and represent the nation's greatest strategic advantage. By making it easier to purchase flood insurance, FEMA is empowering them to ensure their own resilience and reduce dependence on federal assistance," the news release issued this week states.

"I've seen firsthand how floodwaters devastate American communities," Hamilton said in the statement. "We are making it easier for people to reduce their financial risk and protect what they've spent their lives building. With this new digital tool, you can get a quote and buy a flood insurance policy in a matter of minutes. This innovation demonstrates how FEMA is working to cut bureaucracy and deliver results to the American people."

Something's not lining up. There can't be a money grab on one end and a threat not to pay out on the other.

Welch is correct in suggesting that FEMA needs a hard examination.

"Vermont's catastrophic floods of 2023 and 2024 would have been impossible to recover from without the immediate, lifesaving response efforts provided by FEMA. I have no doubt our next flood or natural disaster will be harder to recover from because of President Trump's misguided, reckless policies," he said this week. "FEMA reform must be done in a bipartisan and collaborative way, with state and local governments at the table, working with us, to improve this agency. FEMA does need to be fixed, and state and local governments should be empowered to spend federal disaster funds faster and more efficiently — but limiting federal aid and shifting even more administrative burden onto the states after a disaster will only make recovery more painful and more expensive."

Our concern is actually broader than that.

We know Vermont will flood again. It's not a question of if but when. Whether it is preparing for the next flood or responding to a disaster, Vermonters are tapped out. The floods have affected our local economies as well as our landscape.

Living and working in flood-prone communities carries a significant financial burden. For homeowners and business owners, flood insurance is no longer simply a precaution against disaster. It has become an expense that can threaten the affordability of homeownership, the survival of a small businesses, and the economic vitality of entire local economies.

In fact, it has become abundantly obvious that Vermont cannot afford to ignore the widening gap between the need for flood protection and the ability of ordinary people to pay for it.

The devastating floods Welch referenced demonstrated just how vulnerable Vermont communities are to extreme rainfall and rising waterways. Homes were inundated, businesses lost inventory and equipment, and historic downtowns faced costly repairs. For many residents and entrepreneurs, recovery meant draining savings, borrowing money, or relying on limited government assistance. Yet even after the floodwaters receded, the financial danger remained. Property owners had to consider the possibility of another disaster while facing the ongoing cost of insuring against it.

Specifically, flood insurance is burdensome because standard homeowners and commercial property insurance policies generally do not cover flood damage. Owners must obtain separate coverage, often through the federal National Flood Insurance Program or private insurers. For properties in designated high-risk flood zones, mortgage lenders may require flood insurance as a condition of financing. This requirement serves an important purpose: It protects property owners and lenders from catastrophic losses. But when premiums are unaffordable, a reasonable safeguard can turn into a financial trap.

According to Vermont's Flood Ready program, the average National Flood Insurance Program policy in the state costs $1,489 annually as of December 2025, although premiums vary considerably by property and risk. For owners of properties in high-risk flood zones, the actual expense can be substantially higher.

Ultimately, flood insurance affordability is about more than premiums and policies. It is about whether Vermonters remain in their homes, whether independent businesses survive, and whether our communities can retain their economic and cultural vitality.

Without assurances from FEMA and the Trump administration that there will be help, Vermonters need a better predictor than a finger in the wind.

Distributed by Newsbank, inc.