Governor Cooper Joins Bipartisan Group of Governors Requesting Disaster Assistance from Congress | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Press Release:

Letter requests approximately $3.6 billion in funding for disaster assistance in five states in the continuing resolution

    RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper joined Governors John Bel Edwards (D-LA), Nathan Deal (R-GA), Henry McMaster (R-SC), and Jim Justice (D-WV) in a letter to U.S. House and U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leaders requesting that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster funding be included in the Continuing Resolution (CR) being considered by Congress. Combined, the states are requesting approximately $3.6 billion in funding from disasters.

    "While we have made significant progress recovering from Hurricane Matthew, there is still much work to be done," said Governor Cooper. "I urge our congressional leaders to include disaster funding in order to adequately repair our homes and affordable housing, help our small businesses and farmers, and provide health and mental health support for survivors."

    In North Carolina in October, 2016, Hurricane Matthew devastated entire communities with rain and overflowing rivers, some of which rose to near 1,000-year flood levels. The storms' devastation damaged more than 98,000 homes, over 19,000 businesses, hundreds of roads and dozens of dams, sensitive ecosystems, and thousands of acres of crops and other agricultural resources. As of April 2017, the state estimates an overall funding requirement of $2.8 billion to support the recovery from Hurricane Matthew in addition to the estimated $2.0 billion in economic losses to business and industry.

    "As Governors of five states hit with catastrophic disasters within the last year, we write to request the inclusion of disaster relief funding in the upcoming Continuing Resolution to be considered by Congress," the governors said in the letter. "There is an urgent need to provide relief for the families and individuals who have been impacted and the help of the federal government is critical. For families and communities across this country working to rebuild from these disasters, the recovery timeline does not wait for congressional appropriations or the federal funding process. In each of our states, our people need your assistance today."

    On April 6, Gov. Cooper submitted a formal request to the North Carolina Congressional Delegation requesting $929,403,389 in additional federal assistance and has worked with Reps. David Price, David Rouzer and Sen. Thom Tillis for:

• Housing Repairs: $166.6 million to help homeowners with repairs, $63.7 million to repair rental housing, and $15.2 million to repair public housing in Princeville and Lumberton.
• Housing Elevation: $434 million for buyout, elevation and reconstruction of 3,962 properties that flooded during Matthew and are at risk for future flooding.
• Agriculture: $92.6 million to cover losses for farmers not covered by the USDA such as livestock, farm equipment, and feed.
• Public Facilities: $43 million to repair public facilities and retrofit infrastructure like storm drains and sewer lines to prevent future damage.
• Small Businesses: $39 million to help 691 small businesses impacted by the storm.
• Health: $37 million, to support health and mental health services for storm survivors and to help with repairs to health care facilities, child care centers, and social services agencies.

    The complete letter from the governors is available here.

• Contact: Ford Porter
•     govpress@nc.gov