The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $38 million in grants to North Carolina for ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery.
U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, a Raleigh Republican, announced the funding, which will go to 15 projects in the Tar Heel State.
“I’m grateful to announce that over $38 million in additional FEMA reimbursements are heading to communities across Western North Carolina,” Budd said. “Over the past 18 months, recovery efforts have continued, with new projects completed almost weekly. It is vital that these funds continue to flow back to Western North Carolina. Our work will continue.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will directly receive the bulk of funding, which will cover 90% of repair costs for a number off state-led repairs.
About $1.33 million will go to a Yancey County effort by NCDOT to repair state routes on Banks Creek Bridge, Colbert’s Creek Road Bridge and Phillips Road Bridge. Also in Yancey County, NCDOT will also get about $3.69 million for other permanent repairs on State Routes 1153, 1158 and 1357 that were needed in the wake of the 2024 storm. NCDOT also collected a grant for about $1.31 million to fix Elk Shoals Creek Road.
Yancey County officials also directly received more than $2.57 million for debris removal.
The Mountain Electric Cooperative received $1.42 million covering 90% of costs to repair a Beech Mountain Substation. French Broad Electric similarly got almost $5.43 million for repairs at the Capitola Hydroelectric Power Plant.
In Mitchell County, NCDOT received more than $3.12 million for repairs at Whitson Branch Road.
In Buncombe County, NCDOT got $1.33 million to pay for most of the repairs to State Routes 1368,1741, 2546, 3446, 3449, 3451, 3454, 3460, 3495, 3496, 3497 and 3565. The state agency also got more than $1.85 million for Flat Creek Road and about $1.19 million for repairs on Chestnut Hill Road.
In McDowell County, more than $2.65 million was awarded to NCDOT for repairs to Laurel Lane. In Transylvania County, almost $2.03 million went to NCDOT to fix portions of Old Country Home Road.
Watauga County officials collected more than $3.47 million in reimbursement for debris removal related to the storm.
North Carolina Emergency Management received two grants worth a collective $6.73 to pay back debris removal costs throughout the state.
