NC awarded $61M federal aid for Hurricane Helene recovery

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has received $61,006,486 in supplemental federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to support hazardous waste, recycling and solid waste management recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

“Recovering from Hurricane Helene is a long-term process,” said Governor Josh Stein. “It’s critical we not only clean up the pollution, but also build our infrastructure back stronger. This funding will help communities weather future disasters.” 

This funding, called the North Carolina Hurricane Helene Supplemental Appropriation for Hazardous Waste and Solid Waste Management Financial Assistance Grants, will provide critical support for disaster response, emergency preparedness and long-term resiliency. 

The funding will benefit multiple programs across the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, strengthening North Carolina’s capacity to respond to immediate cleanup needs while also building sustainable infrastructure for the future. 

“This funding will help local governments identify contaminated sites, clean up solid and hazardous waste debris, and address long-term contamination caused by Hurricane Helene,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson.

This funding is in addition to approximately $686 million awarded to DEQ by EPA in recent weeks for water and wastewater systems funding. 

The awarded $61 million will be distributed across several divisions and programs and will be used to support both immediate response efforts and long-term resiliency projects, including: 

• Recycling Infrastructure ($26,355,456) – Grants to local governments to replace or improve recycling infrastructure damaged by the storm, build resilient convenience centers and transfer stations and coordinate recycling/HHW workshops.
• Debris Recovery & Disposal ($20,394,893) – Direct funding for local governments and nonprofits to manage disaster debris, storage, reduction, disposal and non-hazardous waste collection.
• Brownfields Redevelopment ($5,025,931) – Identification and cleanup of contaminated sites that were previously in productive community use.
• Emergency Response and Cleanup ($2,351,705) – Environmental contracts to remove orphaned containers, contaminated soil and other hazardous materials caused by Hurricane Helene.
• Hazardous Waste Preparedness ($1,147,393) – Groundwater sampling at impacted sites and field response for storm-related emergencies.
• Waste Management Workshops & Grant Support ($1,381,669) – Administer grant, develop resources, and provide resilient solid waste, recycling and household hazardous waste infrastructure workshops for local government solid waste and recycling managers.
• Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ($4,349,438, subaward) – Collection events and disposal programs for unusable pesticides, including mini-bulk containers at farm and dealer sites, with education and training components for long-term safety.

This funding will ensure that impacted communities can recover quickly while building stronger and more resilient systems to handle future natural disasters.