Helene Recovery: State Steps Up

Hurricane Helene’s aftermath left Western North Carolina in shambles, especially a critical 15-mile stretch of Norfolk Southern rail near Old Fort—tunnels, curves, and a key bridge still under repair. As recovery efforts ramp up, Senator Ralph Hise and a bipartisan team advise Governor Josh Stein on a massive, multi-billion-dollar state recovery plan. The state is eyeing nearly $1 billion in DOT emergency funds for roads and bridges, plus another $792 million from the General Assembly. But federal funding rules complicate things—FEMA often reduces payouts if states pay first—making local projects like water and sewer systems especially tricky to fund. Housing recovery is equally urgent, with the state requesting over $10 billion from the federal government; while over a thousand homes have already been rebuilt through partnerships, federal aid remains the key to tackling the rest. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/396b10ebe16775da