More than a dozen property owners have received word from FEMA that the federal government will buy out their homes that were destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene.
FEMA’s hazard mitigation program is designed to reduce property damage from floods in the future by purchasing damaged properties and turning them into green space.
So far FEMA has approved 17 out of 113 properties in the following towns: Bethel, Granville, Grafton, Rochester, Sharon, Bridgewater, Royalton and Bolton.
Most that were approved are primary residences. They also include one commercial property and a second home.
FEMA expects to close on the buy-outs and pay owners 75 percent of the pre-Irene value of their property between October and the end of this year.
FEMA has only one staff person working on the remaining 96 hazard mitigation grant applications.