(The Center Square) – Changes in the North Carolina Senate moving toward a full chamber vote would increase a fiscal assistance package for Hurricane Helene recovery by nearly $33 million.
Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 would have an appropriation of $532,991,704 if the Legislature agrees and Democratic Gov. Josh Steins signs on. Help for small businesses, rebuilding homes and education are the focus of the changes.
Passage in the House of Representatives was 116-0. In the Senate, the legislation got a substitute favored by the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee on Tuesday.
The package has $192 million going to agriculture, $140 million to residential relief and $100 million for private roads and bridges.
The Legislature has thus far appropriated $1.1 billion. Damage estimates were $53 billion from Gov. Roy Cooper last fall and nearing $60 billion from Stein in February when he met with North Carolina’s senators in Washington.
Unlike a December 132-page bill with the first 13 pages on Hurricane Helene relief and the rest on authority changes, the original 11-pager was all Helene. Through Tuesday, it was up to 21 pages and not 100% Helene.
This is the 23rd week of recovery. Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach, Fla., on Sept. 26. It was expected to come north to the Appalachian Mountains; however, the rainfall total from its dissipation there exceeded all forecasts.
Some places got more than 30 inches, most were at 24 inches or more. Due to terrain, water often rushed before it pooled and flooded – very unlike the flooding that happens in the coastal plains.
