Additional $155 Million Approved to Support North Carolina Recovery

This federal assistance will help communities repair critical infrastructure, restore essential services and continue rebuilding efforts

WASHINGTON - Under the direction of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary Kristi Noem announced an additional $155 million in reimbursement funds for North Carolina Tropical Storm Helene and past disaster recovery projects.

"President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to streamlining aid and supporting North Carolina's recovery from Tropical Storm Helene and other disasters," said a Senior DHS spokesperson. "These millions of dollars in federal assistance will help communities repair critical infrastructure, restore essential services and continue rebuilding stronger for the future."

Here are some of the notable FEMA grants obligated to the state and communities:

• $54 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the restoration of roads, bridges,embankments and culverts damaged by heavy rains, flooding and surface water runoff in 11 hard-hit counties.
• $23 million to the French Broad Electric Corporation, serving more than 43,000 members in Western North Carolina, for the emergency restoration of power following Helene. The funds also cover repairs to the electric power distribution system including utility poles, fiber optic cables, electrical wire and meters.
• $17.4 million to the Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation, serving more than 67,000 customers, for repairs to facilities including electrical poles, transmission lines, and electrical lines damaged by Helene.
• $14.8 million to Henderson County for the removal of 55,200 cubic yards of vegetative debris, 19,600 cubic yards of commercial and demolition debris, more than 270 hazardous trees and 140 hanging limbs from private property and rights of way, to protect public safety.
• $9.6 million to Buncombe County for emergency protective measures, private property debris removal throughout the county and repairs to several gravel roads and culverts damaged by excessive rain and wind from Helene.
• $1.6 million to the town of Boone for repairs to road sections on Hunting Hills Lane including the removal and replacement of asphalt, pavement and guard rails as well as the installation of soil nail walls to mitigate similar damage from high velocity waterflows in the future.
• $1.4 million to the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources for repair work at Paddy's Creek Beach and Catawba Beach including restoration of beach sand, the retaining wall and channel stone lining.
• $1.3 million to the Buncombe County Board of Education for repairs to the North Buncombe Middle School and the Sand Hill Venable Elementary School, including soil replacementand removal and replacement of steel pipes, among other work, to keep students and faculty safe during another flooding event.

To date, more than $957 million has been provided to North Carolina for road repair, debris removal, critical infrastructure repair and emergency protective measures for the 2024 Hurricane Season. Since Jan. 20, 2025, more than $632 million in Public Assistance reimbursements has been approved to support the recovery efforts in North Carolina. 

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