North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson visited McDowell County on June 2 to announce grants for 16 projects in western North Carolina aimed at improving waste reduction infrastructure and debris management through the Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure grant program.
The program awarded $25 million to local governments to repair and develop recycling infrastructure and strengthen organic debris management systems. The goal is to ensure long-term resilience against future storms. Governor Josh Stein said, “After Helene, communities across western North Carolina are dealing with damaged recycling facilities and enormous amounts of storm debris scattered throughout the region. Western North Carolinians have worked hard to recover over the past 20 months, but communities are still rebuilding critical infrastructure. These grants will help local governments better manage waste and prepare for future storms.”
Wilson said, “Hurricane Helene tore apart waste management and recycling infrastructure throughout the mountains. These grants will help communities rebuild systems and equipment to manage waste more efficiently and reduce vulnerability when future disasters strike.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $25 million from the 2024 federal disaster recovery legislation to DEQ’s Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service for this program. The division received 45 applications totaling $145 million in requests, leaving almost $100 million in unmet needs after factoring in local matching funds.
Grant recipients include Alleghany County ($2,800,000), Ashe County ($3,000,000), Avery County ($544,000), Town of Black Mountain ($525,000), Buncombe County ($3,500,000), Graham County ($1,400,000), Haywood County ($2,514,500), Jackson County ($3,000,000), Macon County ($2,750,000), Town of Marshall ($356,000), McDowell County ($580,000), Mitchell County ($380,000), Rutherford County ($1,500,000), Watauga County ($280,000), Wilkes County ($570,000) and Yancey County ($1,300,000). Projects range from replacing damaged collection equipment to building new transfer stations.
For more information about Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure funding or specific projects funded by these grants, local residents can visit the DEACS webpage or contact Matt James at (919) 707-8142.