US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has announced $155 million in public assistance reimbursements for western North Carolina due to the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
“I am grateful to Secretary Noem for approving $155 million in public assistance funding to reimburse Western North Carolina communities following Hurricane Helene,” US Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, said in a press release. “These funds are vital to ensure cleanup and rebuilding efforts do not continue to strain local government budgets more than a year later.”
He stated in the release that, after numerous conversations with Noem about ensuring that new Helene recovery projects receive quick approval and reimbursement, he has agreed to lift his hold on the DHS general counsel nominee, James Percival, and allow a Senate vote, as soon as western North Carolina communities receive the approved funds.
“In light of the unprecedented threats against the brave men and women of ICE and CBP, as well as the near constant legal challenges to President Trump’s efforts to enforce America’s immigration laws, I agree that ensuring DHS has strong legal representation is critical,” Budd added. “I remain very willing to use every lever of power I have as a U.S. Senator to ensure Western North Carolina is made whole and that federal funds are approved and disbursed on a rolling basis into the future.”
In a post on X, Democratic Gov. Josh Stein said that he was pleased that another round of much-needed funding for Hurricane recovery is on the way to North Carolina.
“I appreciate North Carolina’s federal delegation for their continued advocacy,” Stein said. Every dollar moves us one step closer to making sure western North Carolina recovers stronger than before — but we still have a long way to go. I will keep pushing for WNC.”
I am pleased that another round of much-needed funding for Hurricane Helene recovery is on its way to our state. I appreciate North Carolina’s federal delegation for their continued advocacy. Every dollar moves us one step closer to making sure western North Carolina recovers…
— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) November 5, 2025
Among the projects for over $1 million that DHS approved are: various projects for French Broad Electric Membership Corporation, the Village of Sugar Mountain, the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County, Town of Boone, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Wilkes County, various projects for Buncombe County, various projects for Henderson County, Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation, Blue Ridge Electric Membership, Buncombe County Board of Education, and various projects for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Helene is estimated to have caused $60 billion in damage.
North Carolina was last approved for funding in September.
The governor said during a press conference in September that there has been a slowdown in how funding is now being approved, as Noem must now approve every reimbursement over $100,000.
“She has approved a number of those funds [for NC], which is great news. But we don’t have access to that money yet [including the CDBG-DR funds] because they’ve created a third bureaucratic level of review called Defend the Spend, and it’s in this DOGE committee. And that can take another 30 to 90 days,” Stein said. “So, we’re getting approved by FEMA, and that used to be it. And once that happened, you used to be able to get the money and get it right back to these local governments. Now it needs to be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security, approved by DOGE. And so all of this is slowing down the reimbursements, which means these local governments do not have cash flow for projects they’ve already done that were approved.”
