In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene struck the southeastern United States, with North Carolina suffering some of the worst effects. The storm resulted in over 100 confirmed deaths and relocated millions of people from their homes. Following the wreckage in the western part of the state, the Office of Budget and State Management released a report on Dec. 13, 2024, estimating the damages to exceed $59.6 billion.
According to the report, after the hurricane’s destruction, FEMA allocated $850 million to the devastated areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Former Gov. of North Carolina Roy Cooper requested $3.9 billion in funding from the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) in late October. Additionally, former President Biden requested $98.6 billion in federal funding from Congress to support recovery efforts in communities across the Southeast in mid-November.
However, even with this aid, North Carolina officials who were tasked with leading recovery efforts in the region recently urged state lawmakers for more funding.
Many North Carolina departments and agencies are involved in the recovery effort. One priority in the relief efforts was to get resources to communities who could not get them themselves. As a result, the state, local and federal governments working with nonprofits and volunteers used aerial delivery for water, food and medicine.
Another priority was the North Carolina National Guard and State Highway Patrol. According to the official website of the State of North Carolina, more than 3,150 soldiers and airmen have been working in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of the storm.
However, even with these efforts, there is still so much more to be enacted for western North Carolina to make a full recovery from the hurricane that devastated the region.
The advisor for the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina outlined a gap of around $10 billion between what North Carolina asked from the federal government and what they received.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein is hoping that any future funding bill that is directed toward the Los Angeles wildfires will have money set aside for Western North Carolina. Stein is particularly worried about business in the state.
“If we do not act, some businesses will not be here in the summer, and we will miss an entire building season before the winter weather comes again,” Stein warned, calling the funds a “high priority.”
Stein has also urged the N.C. General Assembly for $1 billion in Helene storm recovery funding for this spring to help Western North Carolina, instead of waiting for the two-year budget in June.
Republicans appear receptive to Stein’s request for additional aid to western North Carolina, where they control both houses of the legislature. State Republican representative Jake Johnson, who served on the bipartisan Helene advisory committee, appeared optimistic about Stein’s proposal:
“We will start reviewing the governor’s proposed budget and figuring out how we can get these dollars to people who need them the most right now,” Johnson said during a news conference on Feb. 3.
Despite funding gaps, recovery efforts in Western North Carolina continue, with leaders pushing for swift aid. Bipartisan support is growing, raising hopes that relief funds will arrive in time to help businesses survive, restore homes and rebuild communities after Hurricane Helene.
