The lowly culvert got a lot of attention in the Statehouse on Wednesday. The issue is whether the federal government will help towns pay to build bigger bridges and culverts to replace those destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene.

On the eve of the Legislative session, the Shumlin Administration says a big funding question has been settled. Federal funds and insurance payments will cover about 70 percent of the cost of a new state hospital and other improvements to the mental health system.

The state is appealing a ruling by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that denied full funding for a culvert in Townshend destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has ruled against the state of Vermont in a decision that affects plans to replace the state hospital in Waterbury. FEMA determined this week that the hospital was damaged but not destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene.

There's still no definitive word on how much Vermont can expect in federal help with recovery from Tropical Storm Irene. But a state official told a legislative committee Thursday that it's expected to be January before the state can expect a firm answer.

Vermont hired two consulting firms shortly after Tropical Storm Irene to navigate FEMA's bureaucratic maze. The state is set to pay up to $4 million under a pair of consulting contracts with the disaster management specialists.

A stream crossing in Townshend is the test culvert for building back town infrastructure in a more resilient fashion after the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it won't pay for larger culverts like the one in Townshend that the state says are needed to withstand future floods. FEMA says the state is applying inconsistent standards.

Tropical Storm Irene destroyed a Windsor County town's Little League field. This month, residents are putting the final touches on its reconstruction.

VPR reporter, John Dillon, talks with Vermont Edition about some of the top stories in the news this week.

Republican U.S. House candidate Mark Donka says Democratic incumbent Congressman Peter Welch hasn't done enough to help the state get FEMA money as it works to recover from Tropical Storm Irene.

Governor Peter Shumlin says it could take several years for the state to resolve all of its funding disputes with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over flood damage to the Waterbury State Office Complex.

This could be an important week in Vermont's recovery from the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene.  State officials are expecting to hear how much money FEMA will pay for the rehabilitation of the state office complex in Waterbury.

State officials say they're planning to appeal dozens of cases where the Federal Emergency Management Agency has refused to cover all the costs of town flood recovery projects. 

The leaders of the House Institutions committee say they never thought it was certain that the state would receive a substantial amount of money from the federal government to deal with damage to the state office complex in Waterbury.

Vermont's congressional delegation has gotten involved in the state's dispute with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over rebuilding the state office complex in Waterbury. And the delegation is hopeful that the dispute can be resolved.

Our reporters’ roundtable discusses the top issues facing the state, including who knew what and when about FEMA funding for the State Office Complex, and the latest developments in the Attorney General’s race.

We discuss where post-Irene FEMA funding for state and town projects now stands, hear why some are unhappy with an agreement between  the public service department and FairPoint Communications and we get a lesson on making the biggest splash in the pool.

The session comes on the heels of news that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's delays could affect the amount and timing of federal assistance to the state.

State government has learned that money it was hoping to get from FEMA to rebuild its Waterbury office complex is going to be delayed.

The U.S. Congress has extended FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program another five years. In the process, it has made changes that could have an impact on thousands of Vermonters enrolled in the program.  

In the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, towns did what they could to prevent further flooding, including hauling away trees and boulders that were clogging streams. But some small towns say they're now stuck with some big bills.

As the end of the fiscal year approaches, some town officials say they're about to receive most of the federal funding that they've applied for to repair roads damaged by Tropical Storm Irene.

Vermont could receive $21.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help individuals and businesses recover from last year's record flooding.

Cities and towns are reacting to the state's recommendation that the Federal Emergency Management Agency buyout 99 homes in Vermont destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene floodwaters. For homeowners, the state's approval is just the first step.

In many parts of the country, FEMA uses trailers as temporary housing to help families displaced by a disaster. In the wake of Irene, the agency is trying a new approach that it says is better suited to New England.