Flood Concerns Dominate Sheffield Meeting

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Created on Thursday, 20 October 2016 19:51

Written by Rebecca Reese

SHEFFIELD - Flood plans were center stage at the latest Sheffield Planning Commission meeting.

The town of Sheffield doesn’t have a flood plan at the moment and isn’t covered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) , but they are trying to be. The NFIP provides federal aid to those affected by a flood or live in a flood plain. In order to receive that help, Sheffield needs to outline those areas.

Al Robertson is on the Planning Commission Board and explained what they are working on. “The program is designed to map these areas so people know where they are and provide insurance to them or protect them if they were in a flood,” he said.

Other members, however, didn’t believe that there were many areas in Sheffield that are at risk of flooding even though this isn’t a new concern. According to the Sheffield, VT 2016 Town Plan from June of 1990 to August of 2013 the town has received over $82,000 for flood relief. The town plan even reads, “Sheffield has a history of flooding and has received public assistance from FEMA and eight federal FEMA declarations between 1989 through the present.”

 The matters will be taken up again and the plan will be looked over at the next meeting on January 18.