Congressman Chuck Edwards announced that $70 million in federal funds will be provided to support recovery efforts in North Carolina’s 11th District following Hurricane Helene. The funding, sourced from FEMA’s Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, will be distributed among several counties and municipalities for debris removal and flood mitigation projects.
Avery County is set to receive over $40 million for debris removal and nearly $3.9 million for the acquisition and demolition of 13 properties prone to flooding. The City of Asheville will get more than $7.2 million as reimbursement for emergency management costs related to the hurricane. Buncombe County will receive approximately $1.4 million for debris removal, while Yancey County is allocated nearly $21 million for similar purposes. Haywood County has been awarded about $2.7 million to fund the acquisition and demolition of 14 flood-prone properties.
Edwards worked with White House officials, FEMA, Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and members of the North Carolina delegation to accelerate the release of these funds.
“Communities across Western North Carolina are continuing the long process of rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, and that work isn’t finished until every family, business, and local government has the support they need,” said Congressman Edwards. “Funding that fully covers the cost of debris removal for rural counties ensures that local resources can go toward rebuilding roads, homes, and businesses rather than shouldering disaster expenses themselves.”
Chuck Edwards currently serves in Congress representing North Carolina’s 11th district since 2023 after replacing Madison Cawthorn [source]. He previously served in both chambers of the North Carolina legislature from 2016 through early 2023 before his election to Congress [source]. In recent elections, Edwards defeated Jasmine Beach-Ferrara in 2022 with about 54% of the vote and Caleb Rudow in 2024 with nearly 57% [source]. Born in Waynesville in 1960, he resides in Flat Rock.
