On Tuesday, Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-D11, attempted to address several rumors about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to Hurricane Helene that have gained traction on social media platforms following local accounts of federal malaise.

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-D5, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, applauded Rep. Edwards in an X post.

In a press release, Edwards responded to eight significant rumors surrounding Hurricane Helene, five of which concern FEMA.

“I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact,” said Edwards in a press release. “Please make sure you are fact-checking what you read online with a reputable source.”

He then went through a list of rumors, responding to each with timely information addressing the charge. Edwards Rumor/Response release is recreated below.

Rumor: The government geo-engineered the hurricane to seize and access lithium deposits in Chimney Rock.

Response: Charles Konrad, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Regional Climate Center, has confirmed to Edwards’ office that no one has the technology or ability to geoengineer a hurricane. Geoengineering technology can currently serve as a large-scale intervention to mitigate the negative consequences of naturally occurring weather phenomena. However, it cannot be used to create or manipulate hurricanes.

(Local officials in Chimney Rock have confirmed to Edwards’ office that they are not being seized. Federal, state, and local governments did not hold a “special meeting” in Chimney Rock about seizing the town.)

Rumor: Local officials are abandoning search and rescue efforts to bulldoze over Chimney Rock.

Response: Chimney Rock is not being bulldozed over. Emergency services personnel in Rutherford county are going to extensive lengths to search for missing people, including searching debris using cadaver dogs to locate any remains of individuals trapped in the rubble. Chimney Rock officials are focused on recovery efforts, followed by plans to rebuild.

Rumor: FEMA stops trucks or vehicles carrying donations, confiscates or seizes supplies, or turns away donations.

Response: FEMA does not conduct vehicle stops or handle road closures with armed guards. All road closures are managed by local law enforcement, which prioritizes getting resources to their fellow community members, according to a press release.

Rumor: Disaster response funding has been diverted by FEMA to the border or foreign aid.

Response: Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. “FEMA’s non-disaster related presence at the border has always been of major concern to me, even before Hurricane Helene, and I will continue to condemn their deployment of personnel to the southern border, but we must separate the two issues,” said Edwards in a press release.

Rumor: FEMA is going to run out of money.

Response: “FEMA has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs,” according to FEMA. “FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has enough funding to support Hurricane Helene efforts, and FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts.”

(Edwards described US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ comments to the contrary as “an irresponsible attempt to politicize a tragedy for personal gain.” Foxx further confirmed to Fox News that FEMA has sufficient funding.)

Rumor: FEMA can seize your property or land.

Response: Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority to seize ownership of your property or land.

Rep. Jeff Jackson, D-D14, also the Democratic nominee for attorney general, also attempted to rebut these claims in an X post on Monday.

Rumor: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is restricting access to airspace for Helene rescue and recovery operations.

Response: As long as efforts are coordinated with NC Aviation, the FAA or North Carolina Emergency Management will not prohibit anyone from flying resources into Western North Carolina. For those looking to conduct an airdrop of resources but don’t know who to contact for approval, reach out to the representative for your congressional district. Their office can provide you with that information.

Rumor: FEMA only provides $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.

Response: The initial $750 provided to disaster survivors is an immediate type of assistance called Serious Needs Assistance, which may be given to individuals in need as soon as they apply for FEMA assistance. The $750 is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, and medication while FEMA assesses the applicant’s eligibility for additional funds. This award is just the first step in a long process of providing financial assistance to disaster survivors needing federal support. As an application moves through the review process, individuals can receive additional assistance for other needs such as temporary housing, personal property home repair costs, etc.

Edwards is not the only one pushing back against rumors surrounding the federal response to Helene.

“Trump also claimed following Hurricane Helene that the Biden administration and North Carolina’s Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper were purposefully refusing aid to people in Republican areas,” according to a report by Roll Call.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is also pushing back on the claims about FEMA.

“We live in an era where if you put out crap online, you can get a lot of people to share it, and you can monetize that. That’s just the way it is,” said DeSantis according to Roll Call. “But if you’re hearing something that’s just outrageous, just know, in the state of Florida, none of that stuff would ever fly. … FEMA is not leading this show, we are leading this show here in the state of Florida.”

“Misinformation continues to plague response efforts in the High Country and western North Carolina – it has metastasized like a cancer online,” Foxx told the Carolina Journal. “Unverified information, rumors, and baseless conspiracy theories do nothing but sow division and take the focus off our sole imperative right now: to get this area back on its feet. FEMA’s response has not been perfect, and ample scrutiny should be applied where appropriate. Congressman Edwards should be commended for his efforts to put the truth front and center.”