The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has received over $61 million in supplemental federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to aid recovery and build resilience following Hurricane Helene. The funds are designated for hazardous waste, recycling, and solid waste management.
According to Governor Josh Stein, “Recovering from Hurricane Helene is a long-term process. 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.”
The new allocation will support programs within both DEQ and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). These efforts aim to improve disaster response capacity and develop sustainable infrastructure for long-term resilience.
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson stated, “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. We appreciate the continued commitment from the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal partners to help communities recover from Helene’s widespread impacts.”
This grant follows a recent award of approximately $686 million to DEQ by EPA for water and wastewater systems improvements.
The $61 million in new funding will be distributed across several areas:
– Recycling Infrastructure: More than $26 million will go toward grants for local governments to repair or upgrade recycling facilities damaged by Hurricane Helene.
– Debris Recovery & Disposal: Over $20 million is allocated for managing disaster debris through direct support to local governments and nonprofits.
– Brownfields Redevelopment: About $5 million will be used for identifying and cleaning up previously productive sites now contaminated.
– Emergency Response and Cleanup: Approximately $2.3 million is set aside for environmental contracts focused on removing hazardous materials left by the hurricane.
– Hazardous Waste Preparedness: More than $1.1 million will fund groundwater sampling at affected locations.
– Waste Management Workshops & Grant Support: Nearly $1.4 million supports administration of grants, development of resources, and training workshops for local government officials.
An additional subaward of about $4.3 million goes to NCDA&CS for collection events targeting unusable pesticides at farms and dealer sites, including education on long-term safety practices.
“These grant funds will be instrumental in further assisting the Helene impacted communities while helping to rebuild local recovery infrastructure in a resilient manner,” said Michael Scott, Division of Waste Management Director. “We can make transformational improvements to western North Carolina’s recycling infrastructure, thereby reducing reliance on landfills and redirecting valuable materials back into the local economy.”
Officials say this funding aims not only at quick recovery but also at strengthening community preparedness against future natural disasters.
