In a significant development for western North Carolina, Sen. Ted Budd has revealed that the region will soon receive $81 million in federal aid meant for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. Of this sum, $70 million is allocated to repay local governments for their expenses related to the hurricane’s aftermath, while the remaining funds are designated for purchasing homes damaged by the storm.
This announcement closely followed a critical report by Senate Democrats. The report accuses Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of causing “extraordinary bureaucratic gridlock,” which allegedly obstructed crucial missions, including disaster response. These claims were unveiled just hours after Noem’s Senate Judiciary hearing appearance, where North Carolina’s Sen. Thom Tillis criticized Noem’s management of both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
During the hearing, Tillis expressed his concerns, stating, “We have people contacting my office now to get the information to, to better understand the failure of this department. You failed at FEMA,” and accused Noem of breaching federal law through the reimbursement delays.
Despite attempts by BPR News to secure an interview, Budd was unavailable for comment. The funds he announced will be directed towards Avery, Buncombe, and Yancey counties to compensate for storm-related debris removal costs. Notably, the city of Asheville is set to receive over $7 million for its storm response expenditures.
Budd shared on X his satisfaction with the forthcoming release of funds, noting the anticipation for this support. Avery County is set to recover nearly all of its $44 million expenditure, while Yancey County will recoup roughly half of its $40 million expenses.
In addition, Budd confirmed an $11 million allocation to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. This funding will facilitate the purchase of 47 storm-damaged homes across Avery, Burke, Haywood, and Watauga counties.
The aid announcement arrives amid a backdrop of stalled negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, which finances FEMA. The inability to resolve the impasse threatens FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, potentially hampering its capacity to respond to future emergencies.
