A new report says report it's likely that by the second anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene in August, much of the recovery work will be finished and the focus will shift to preparing for the next disaster.

Job losses in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene were in many cases temporary, lasting only as long as it took businesses to repair damage from the flood. The financial impact of those layoffs has been more lasting, but lawmakers may have found a way to soften the blow.

More than 100 Vermont families lost their homes in Tropical Storm Irene. At least six had houses that were destroyed by the flood, but were deemed ineligible for a FEMA buy-back program because of where they appear on FEMA's maps.

Vermont officials are hoping a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover the cost of replacing a culvert in Townshend destroyed by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene means more towns will be eligible for similar funding.

When the 2011 flood receded many Vermonters didn't wait for government help. Residents and volunteers hauled away mud, debris and even flood-damaged homes that were on the brink of collapse. But people who cleared away property may not be eligible for federal funds.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to buy out 90 properties across Vermont that were damaged by 2011 flooding, most from Tropical Storm Irene.

The governor announced Tuesday that the state has come up with the money to help buy those properties that were destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene, and that FEMA has deemed ineligible for its funding.

The state of Vermont is announcing today it will cover 75 percent of the cost of buying out homes that FEMA has deemed ineligible for a federal buy-out.

Some Vermont property owners, whose homes were destroyed during Tropical Storm Irene, have received good news.  Six towns have made formal offers to homeowners to buy their flood-damaged property using federal funds.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and state of Vermont had hoped to complete funding arrangements for the rebuilding of the Waterbury state office complex by the end of February but FEMA now says more time is needed.

It's been about a year and a half since Tropical Storm Irene flooded parts of the state. And about 50 bridges and 40 culverts in Vermont are still not repaired. The reason, in some cases, is a discrepancy between what the state requires and what FEMA will reimburse. 

Newscast: Friday, February 15, 2013, 5:50 p.m.

A state owned office building in Waterbury will be converted to affordable housing units under a federal disaster aid grant. Governor Peter Shumlin says the project is the fulfillment of a promise in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene nearly 18 months ago.

The state of Vermont is planning to spend about $22.5 million to continue with road and bridge repairs caused by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene and other floods in 2011.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says federal and state officials hope to complete funding arrangements for the rebuilding of the Waterbury state office complex by the end of the month.

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.

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board has awarded two nonprofit housing groups more than $1 million in state and federal funds to buy and reconfigure a building that has sat vacant since Tropical Storm Irene destroyed much of the state office complex. The project will create 27 new affordable apartments on Main Street.

Two Vermont communities are marking milestones in their recovery from Tropical Storm Irene flooding.

More than a hundred people braved frigid temperatures Saturday to celebrate the opening of the new Lower Bartonsville covered bridge. The single-lane, lattice-truss bridge is modeled on its 140 year old predecessor, which was swept into the Williams River in Tropical Storm Irene.

One of the nine long-term recovery groups formed to help residents hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene is getting ready to close its doors by the end of the month. Rebuild Waterbury is expected to be the first recovery group to finish its work.

For a lot of people, their mental image of Tropical Storm Irene comes down to the 20-second video shot by Sue Hammond of Rockingham who captured the Bartonsville Covered Bridge being swept away in the floodwaters. But the historic span has been rebuilt by engineers, and will re-open this Saturday.

Newscast: Saturday, January 12, 2012, 8:35 a.m.

People involved in Vermont's continuing effort to recover from Tropical Storm Irene are set to gather at Norwich University in Northfield to assess how far they've come and the future of those efforts.

State officials predict the first federally-approved buy-outs of homes destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene could be completed by February.

One of the most surprising political events of 2012 was Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy's decision not to become chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee. Leahy is the Senate's longest-serving member. In a system built on seniority, the Appropriations Committee chairmanship is usually considered the top prize.