House advances S.310 to create resilience fund, credit facility and municipal mitigation grants

The Vermont House advanced S.310, an act addressing natural disaster response, recovery and resiliency, after committee reporters described a package of changes aimed at strengthening municipal capacity and state coordination following last year’s flooding.

The bill creates a Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Fund and a municipal grant program to finance local infrastructure projects. It also increases allocations to the Emergency Medical Services special fund (an increase of $300,000, from $150,000 to $450,000 annually as described on the floor) and authorizes a state Treasurer credit facility of up to 2.5% of the state’s average cash balance to finance local climate infrastructure and resilience projects.

Other provisions expand the statutory definition of first responders to include public works and water/wastewater personnel for emergency planning, codify an updated state emergency management plan, require an after‑action review of the 2023 summer flooding events, and clarify administrative use controls for contaminated sites at the Agency of Natural Resources’ request.

Floor reporters emphasized the bill grew from months of stakeholder collaboration and is intended to channel lessons from recent flood events into practical, fundable measures. The Ways and Means and Appropriations committees walked members through fiscal implications and recommended amendments; some items affect rates or could create future local rate decisions (for example, revisions to stormwater utilities), and fiscal impact will vary by municipality.

The House amended and proposed the bill to the Senate; third reading was ordered. Sponsors said the bill is a pragmatic, collaborative response to recent disasters; several members urged timely funding during the budget process to seed the new grant program.