RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly’s first disaster recovery bill of 2025 has $500 million in funding for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts for areas impacted in the western half of the state.
“This legislation will mark another important step forward in the state’s response to Hurricane Helene,” Reps. Dudley Greene (R-Avery) and John Bell (R-Wayne), the co-chairs of the committee, said in a press release ahead of the meeting. “We look forward to getting further input from members of the committee and the House as the bill moves through the legislative process.”
House Bill 47, titled “Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part I,” was discussed during a meeting of the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery held Feb. 5.
As we know, this is a major issue that our state faces, and helping the people of western North Carolina recover is the top priority of both chambers,” said Bell. “And I think the entire state of North Carolina is on board with that.”
This will be the fourth round of funding provided by the General Assembly for Hurricane Helene-related recovery needs. Gov. Josh Stein has submitted a proposal for $1.07 billion to cover “immediate needs.”
A preferred committee substitute (PCS) bill was introduced during the committee meeting outlining a number of spending items, programs and deadline extensions. That bill has been updated and was approved by the committee on Feb. 11 and is now scheduled to be heard by the House Rules, Calendar and Operations Committee.
Under the bill, $275 million from the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Funds (SERDRF) will be transferred into the Helene fund. After the SERDF transfer, the balance in that fund will be $425 million, according to a General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division employee’s response to questions about the balance during the meeting.
The spending distribution by the agency per the most recent version of the bill includes:
- Department of Commerce — $140 million for Home Reconstruction and Repair Program; must be CDBG-DR compliant
- Department of Commerce – $10 million for marketing and media campaigns to revive tourism
- Department of Agriculture — $150 million for natural restoration projects to help farmers resume production. Includes stream restoration, cropland restoration, farm road repair. Provides cost-share and technical assistance. This allocation was split in a later version of the bill into two separate line items at $75 million each; the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Revitalization for the Home Reconstruction and Repair Program and a Hurricane Helene Agricultural Crop Loss Program under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
- Office of State Budget and Management — $60 million for repair of damaged state facilities. Includes state parks, forests and health care facilities, and covers repairs to two western N.C. correctional institutions
- OSBM Debris Removal — $20 million for state agencies and local governments; focuses on unmet debris removal needs
- Emergency Management — $10 million in grants for Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
- State Fire Marshal — $10 million in grants for small and volunteer fire departments. Covers Hurricane Helene expenses and equipment purchases
- Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Social Services – $10 million to provide rental assistance
- Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program – $55 million to assist with repairs and “restore patronage”
The latest version of the bill also includes facilitating the permanent installation of broadband infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Helene and allowing for the use of inmates to clear debris. Additionally, state agencies are directed to aid in the distribution of heavy construction equipment and vehicles from surplus property by posting those items on their websites for VOADS to potentially purchase.
A critical need of addressing private road and bridge repairs is addressed in the bill with the creation of a Private Road and Bridge Repair Program. North Carolina’s Emergency Management Division (NCEM) will get $100 million for that program. NCEM is directed to coordinate with the N.C. Department of Transportation to select and prioritize eligible projects.
Additionally, NCEM is required to report back on various aspects of the program to the Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division beginning June 30.
Under the bill, the statewide declaration of emergency is extended until June 1.
Various regulatory flexibility provisions are also extended, including drinking water and wastewater infrastructure project flexibility, storm debris burning relief, and building permit and inspection flexibility. Additionally, various facility licenses and renewals, temporary wastewater permits and tree ordinance restrictions in disaster areas also have extensions.
Those agencies receiving funding are required to seek alternative funding sources, such as insurance or federal aid, before using state funds and must report on fund usage to the legislature on a quarterly basis.
