Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rejected North Carolina’s request to maintain a full 100% federal match for the state’s continued Hurricane Helene recovery expenses.
In a letter to President Donald Trump on Friday, Gov. Josh Stein is urging FEMA to extend the cost share for a minimum of three months.
Stein said delays in response particularly from the US Army Corps of Engineers meant that the state only effectively received three months of active debris removal under the original six-month reimbursement period.
“In the last four weeks, under the reduced cost share, the Corps has nearly tripled its monthly rate of overall debris removal and has removed approximately the same amount of waterway debris that it had in the prior six-month period,” wrote Stein.
The governor also highlighted the financial strain on the state, which has already appropriated $1.6 billion toward recovery. Preliminary estimates suggest it may cost an additional $1-2 billion to complete debris removal.
“Without the extension of 100% reimbursement, the state faces an ever-growing cost burden, at the same time revenues are down because of the devastating damage to a region dependent on tourism,” explained Stein.
Stein noted that granting such extensions is not without precedent, citing similar actions taken in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Maria, and Ike. He warned that denying the extension would deepen the economic hardship in a region already battered by multiple disasters in the past year, including Tropical Storm Debby and Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight.
Stein expressed his gratitude for federal disaster relief funds appropriated in the American Relief Act of 2025 (HR 10545) but noted very little of that money has made its way to North Carolina.
“Most federal agencies have not yet allocated North Carolina’s share of the funding more than four months after HR 10545 passed,” explained Stein. “As a result, our state and local governments continue to shoulder outsized recovery costs while also grappling with a displaced workforce, damaged or destroyed infrastructure, wildfires exacerbated by excess unremoved debris, and local government budget shortfalls.”
Calling on President Trump’s previous commitment to the region, Stein asked for a six-month extension to the full federal cost share or at minimum, an additional three months to sustain recovery efforts and show continued federal support for North Carolinians working to rebuild.