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The program awarded $25 million to local governments to repair and develop recycling infrastructure and strengthen organic debris management systems to ensure long-term resilience against future storms. 听 鈥淎fter Helene, communities across western North Carolina are dealing with damaged recycling facilities and enormous amounts of storm debris scattered throughout the region,鈥� said Governor Josh Stein.鈥淲estern North Carolinians have worked hard to recover over the听past听20听months, but听communities听are still rebuilding critical infrastructure.听These grants will听help听local governments听better manage waste and prepare for future storms.鈥�

鈥淗urricane Helene听tore apart听waste management and recycling听infrastructure听throughout the mountains,鈥澨齭aid DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson.鈥淭hese grants听will help communities rebuild听systems and equipment to manage waste more efficiently and听reduce vulnerability听when听future disasters听strike.鈥�听

From the 2024 federal disaster recovery听legislation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded听$25 million to听DEQ鈥檚听Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) for the HRRI program.听DEACS received 45 applications for HRRI funding totaling听$145 million, leaving almost $100 million in unmet needs after factoring in local matching funds.

Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure听Grant Recipients

The following听local听governments听were selected for funding:

1. Alleghany听County ($2,800,000)听will听expand recycling services, rebuild Helene-damaged infrastructure at its transfer station,听and make operational improvements for long-term resilience.
2. Ashe County ($3,000,000)听will replace听aged and听damaged听buildings, equipment,听and infrastructure听used to handle household听recyclables, vegetative debris, appliances,听and hazardous waste.
3. Avery County ($544,000)听will听purchase听a horizontal grinder听and听replace damaged asphalt and concrete at recycling centers.
4. Town of听Black Mountain ($525,000)听will鈥痳ebuild key elements of the听Buncombe County听town鈥檚听curbside sanitation infrastructure with the goal of collecting more recyclable material and creating long-term resiliency.
5. Buncombe County ($3,500,000)听will听build construction and demolition waste diversion infrastructure and increase revenue generated from these materials.
6. Graham County ($1,400,000)听will make site improvements and equipment听purchases听to modernize听its听recycling program.
7. Haywood County ($2,514,500)听will replace curbside carts lost during Hurricane Helene and听relocate听a convenience center out of the flood plain.
8. Jackson County ($3,000,000)听will construct听an听additional听transfer听station鈥痠n the Cashiers area, which听is听frequently听cut off due听to听landslides during听storms.听This听facility听will听improve access听to听recycling听services throughout听the county.
9. Macon County ($2,750,000)听will听rebuild听its听damaged Recycling Processing Center and make other improvements through new equipment investments.
10. Town of听Marshall ($356,000)听will replace damaged collection equipment and听establish听a curbside recycling program听for the Madison County town.
11. McDowell County ($580,000)听will听purchase听equipment to increase capacity, reduce maintenance-related downtime, and significantly decrease the number of trips听required听for material transport.
12. Mitchell County ($380,000)听will restore and expand听its听recycling center.
13. Rutherford County ($1,500,000)听will听enhance听vegetative debris recycling and divert construction and demolition debris from landfill disposal.
14. Watauga听County ($280,000)听will replace containers lost in Helene and听purchase听new equipment to improve metals and white goods collections.
15. Wilkes County ($570,000)听will replace recycling trucks and collection equipment damaged during Hurricane Helene.
16. Yancey County ($1,300,000)听will rebuild storm-damaged recycling infrastructure and improve efficiency by adding equipment for in-house hauling and processing.

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