Vermont’s congressional delegation this week lauded passage of a bill that would make it easier for the state, and local governments, to pay for flood control and water quality improvements. At the same time, a major government funding package carrying support for natural disaster recovery in Vermont and other states was in peril after President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire advisor, Elon Musk, tanked support for the deal.If Congress does not come to a funding agreement by 12:01 a.m. Saturday, the federal government will partially shut down. It was not clear Friday afternoon which elements of that funding package, if any, might make it across the finish line before midnight.The U.S. Senate did grant final approval this week to another piece of legislation, called the Water Resources Development Act, that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water infrastructure and ecosystem restoration projects. The bill, which already cleared the U.S. House, now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.Vermont’s delegation noted this year’s bill would increase the amount of money the federal government provides for projects at two Winooski River dams that were pushed to their limits during the 2023 floods — the Wrightsville Dam and the East Barre Dam. Currently, the state pays 35% of those costs, but it would now pay only about 7%. The Army Corps of Engineers built both dams after the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. “Now more than ever, we need to support the Army Corps of Engineers as they work with our communities and the State to protect our communities from flooding,” U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said in a statement Friday. The bill would also reduce — from 35% to 10% — the amount of money that certain municipalities have to spend to match federal dollars for clean water and other climate projects as part of the Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental Assistance Program. Another measure would study ways to make communities along the Winooski River more flood resilient.“Vermont has experienced historic and devastating floods over the past two years. And the somber reality is that this type of extreme weather is going to happen again,” U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement. “The good news is this bill will help Vermont complete important work on critical flood control infrastructure.” Sanders’ office noted that the bill would also authorize more resources for the Northern Border Regional Commission, a joint federal and state partnership that provides funds for economic development and community projects in Vermont and nearby states.The legislation would also send assistance to communities that are decommissioning nuclear power plants, such as Vernon, which hosts the shuttered Vermont Yankee plant.Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt. speaks during a press conference in Berlin on July 12, 2023. Behind her are, from left, Gov. Phil Scott, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell , not seen, was also present. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDiggerThe bill does not actually allocate any money for those provisions. That would have to come in separate federal appropriations legislation for the 2025 federal fiscal year — which lawmakers have yet to pass, even though that fiscal year started in October.Congress already approved one stopgap funding measure in late September to fund government operations through Dec. 20, buying themselves more time to negotiate the must-pass appropriations deals and averting a partial government shutdown. But as Friday afternoon arrived, lawmakers had failed to reach agreement on even another stopgap funding measure, which would fund federal operations through March.Earlier this week, Democrats and Republicans said they had a deal to keep the government’s lights on through March 2025. The deal also included disaster relief totaling about $100 billion, funding for infrastructure projects, salary increases for members of Congress and health care policy reforms.But that deal fell apart Wednesday — at least for a time — after Musk, who is the world’s richest person, blasted the legislation on social media. Trump also pressed lawmakers to insert a provision into the deal to increase or abolish the maximum amount of money the federal government can borrow to pay its debts — known as the debt ceiling — before he takes office.On Thursday, the House rejected a revised stopgap measure that included raising the debt limit, leaving House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., scrambling on Friday. Welch said in remarks on the Senate floor Thursday that the disaster relief provision would help FEMA reimburse Vermont communities’ repairs to flood-damaged culverts, bridges and roads, as well as provide financial assistance to farmers. “Will they get it? We don’t know at this moment,” the Vermont senator said. “Literally, we had this agreement. Speaker Johnson signed off on it. Leadership here signed off on it,” he continued. “Mr. Musk sent out a tweet. He didn’t like it, and he blew the entire thing up. How is it that one person can have so much power to destroy something that the American people really need?” Sanders and U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., also blasted Musk’s involvement in the debate over the continuing resolution in statements this week.“Elon Musk is not an elected official,” Balint wrote Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter. “He’s been elected to nothing and has no place inserting himself like he’s the president when Congress is trying to get disaster relief to those who need it.” Read the story on VTDigger here: As Congress backs flood control projects in Vermont and other states, major disaster relief hangs in the balance.