19-03-2025
NC House approves Disaster Recovery Act for hurricane relief in Western Carolina
RALEIGH, NC (WNCT) — Tuesday, Mar. 18, 2025, legislators from the North Carolina House of Representatives approved the fourth-round of hurricane relief measures.
The 'Disaster Recovery Act of 2025,' House Bill 47, allocates $524 million for the hurricane relief efforts in Western North Carolina, which brings more than $1.4 billion total relief funding from the General Assembly across all four legislative packages.
Key funding provisions in House Bill 47 include:
$200 million to Helene-specific crop-loss and farm restoration
$120 million for rebuilding and repairing homes
$100 million for repairing private roads and bridges
$55 million for small business infrastructure grants
$20 million to remove millions of cubic yards of debris
$10 million to support essential volunteer organizations
$10 million for volunteer fire departments
$9 million for learning recovery for students in Helene-affected counties
$4 million for travel and tourism marketing
$217 million to close out home rebuilding operations in Eastern NC
$110 million to assist farmers with non-Helene-related crop loss
'We are proud to have worked alongside the Senate to craft and approve this vital relief legislation that continues Western North Carolina's recovery from Hurricane Helene,' Helene Select Committee Co-Chair Dudley Greene said.
Alongside hurricane relief, the bill includes $217 million to complete rebuilding homes in Eastern North Carolina and nearly $110 million in state-wide relief for farmers in addition to Helene-specific agriculture funding.
'This bill is a needed helping hand to farmers across our state who have fallen victim to the devastating impact of natural disasters,' House Agriculture and Environment Committee Senior Chair Jimmy Dixon said.
The final bill includes additional education funding for Western North Carolina and increased funding for farm relief across the state.
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