After Hurricane Helene made her way through the states, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved an immediate release of $100 million in relief funds to aid North Carolina’s recovery efforts following the devastating natural disaster.
The emergency funds are slated to assist the state’s Department of Transportation (NCDOT) in facilitating repairs, including rebuilding damaged infrastructure.
“Working in close coordination with North Carolina, we are providing this initial round of funding so there’s no delay getting roads repaired and reopened and re-establishing critical routes,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated. “The Biden-Harris administration will be with North Carolina every step of the way, and today’s emergency funding to help get transportation networks back up and running safely will be followed by additional federal resources.”
Last week, Hurricane Helene unleashed severe flooding, heavy rain, and more across North Carolina as well as other states. This led to flash floods, landslides, washouts, and collapsed bridges along Interstate 40. As a result, the $100 million emergency funds will allow NCDOT to begin repairs quickly, ensuring that the areas hit the hardest receive immediate attention.
Additionally, the Biden-Harris administration also recently deployed an additional 500 active-duty troops to the state, bringing the total to 1,500, coupled with 6,100 National Guardsmen and over 7,000 federal personnel.
“With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing all relevant resources to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding,” the White House said in a statement.
Nonetheless, Buttigieg has been actively involved in the recovery process, receiving frequent updates from USDOT and Governor Roy Cooper. He has also visited FEMA headquarters for briefings on the recovery efforts and even joined a cabinet to inform President Biden about the situation.
More information about FHWA’s Emergency Relief program can be found online at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/erelief.cfm.
