U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has announced that Western North Carolina will receive more than $72 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance grants and $44.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds for recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed the new round of funding, which is intended to support both immediate recovery and long-term mitigation projects across the region. The HMGP funds are designed to help protect Western North Carolina from future flooding and storm damage.
Senator Budd issued a statement regarding the funding: “Ever since Hurricane Helene devastated the lives of more than half a million North Carolinians, I have been working non-stop to obtain approval for federal relief necessary to rebuild Western North Carolina. In recent months, I’ve engaged extensively with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA regarding applications under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. I am glad that today, in addition to another tranche of public assistance funding totaling over $72 million, Secretary Noem has approved $44.6 million in grants for projects under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. While this is another promising step in the right direction, there are still families awaiting buyouts for their damaged and destroyed properties. As I have with the public assistance program, I pledge that I will continue to work closely with all federal, state, and local leaders to continue to identify projects that qualify for federal reimbursement, and I will be in constant contact with FEMA to get these dollars to Western North Carolina communities,” said Sen. Budd.
According to information provided by DHS:
– The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $34.7 million for road and bridge repairs at more than 300 sites across several counties including Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Henderson, Mitchell, Surry, and Watauga.
– Rutherford County is allocated $17.6 million for debris removal operations involving nearly 700,000 cubic yards of debris as well as tree clearing from public rights of way.
– Asheville will get $10.5 million for potable water distribution improvements as well as repairs or replacements needed at DeBruhl Water Treatment Plant and on city fleet vehicles.
– Beech Mountain is set to receive $3.7 million for sewer system repairs.
Future hazard mitigation investments include acquiring flood-prone properties in Buncombe County ($14.2 million), acquiring similar properties in Henderson County ($9.2 million), and elevating 14 homes in Beaufort County ($2.5 million).
DHS described FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program as follows: “FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in ways that reduce or mitigate future disaster losses in their communities. This funding becomes available following a Presidentially declared disaster.”
