Stein: NC will carry on with Helene recovery work despite federal funding decision
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors sort debris pulled from the bottom of Lake Lure in Rutherford County, North Carolina on April 14, 2025. Vegetative and man-made debris was washed into Lake Lure after Hurricane Helene devastated the region. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Michael Davis)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied North Carolina's appeal of its April decision to stop matching 100% of the state's spending on Hurricane Helene recovery.
The ruling came Thursday in a letter from the person serving as the agency's acting leader, David Richardson, that provided little in the way of explanation. Richardson was elevated to the position of 'Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator' after the person President Donald Trump selected as Acting Administrator, Cameron Hamilton, was fired earlier this month, one day after delivering congressional testimony in he expressed disagreement with the administration's plans to dismantle the agency.
This is from Ricardson's denial letter:
'You specifically requested an extension of the 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for an additional 180 days.
After a careful and thorough review of all the information available, including that contained in your initial request for a cost share adjustment and appeal, we have concluded that an extension of the 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance for an additional 180 days under major disaster declaration FEMA-4827-DR is not warranted.'
As NC Newsline previously reported, the ruling leaves the state on the hook for up to $200 million or more in additional expenses for debris cleanup and other emergency work.
In a statement responding to the ruling, Gov. Josh Stein expressed disappointment but promised to press on with Helene cleanup and recovery efforts:
'The first step to help western North Carolina recover is to clean up all the debris. So far, we have removed more than 12 million cubic yards of debris from roads and water ways, but given the immense scale of the wreckage, we have only scratched the surface. FEMA's denial of our appeal will cost North Carolina taxpayers potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up out west. The money we have to pay toward debris removal will mean less money towards supporting our small businesses, rebuilding downtown infrastructure, repairing our water and sewer systems, and other critical needs.
Despite this news, we are going to stay the course. We will keep pushing the federal and state governments to do right by western North Carolina. We will keep working with urgency, focus, and transparency to get any appropriated money on the ground as quickly as we can to speed the recovery. We will not forget the people of western North Carolina.'
The ruling came the same day the North Carolina House unanimously approved a bill that would provide $464 million in new relief for western North Carolina — roughly half of what Stein had asked for. That bill is likely to be part of the House-Senate state budget negotiations that will take place in the coming weeks.
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