Democratic Governor Roy Cooper signed SB 743, The Disaster Recovery Act of 2024-Part II, into law, providing over $600 million in aid for victims of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. The hurricane caused nearly 100 deaths and billions of dollars in damage in the state. Cooper had initially requested $3.9 billion in relief funds but the legislature approved $644 million in total. The legislation allocated $604 million from the state’s savings reserve, with an additional $40 million from the Office of State Budget and Management Disaster Relief Reserve.
Cooper emphasized the need for significant investments to aid in the recovery of western North Carolina from the devastating storm, the worst the state has ever seen. The governor also highlighted the $53 billion in damage estimates, three times greater than Hurricane Florence in 2018. However, state legislative leaders have voiced concerns about past mismanagement by Cooper’s North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, citing issues with the handling of recovery efforts after previous hurricanes.
Senate Leader Phil Berger criticized Cooper for the lack of preparedness before Hurricane Helene and the slow response after the storm. He called for greater accountability from the governor and his office. US Senator Thom Tillis also criticized Cooper and NCORR for the failure to distribute disaster relief effectively. The General Assembly had previously approved a $273 million aid package, bringing the total relief funding from the state to over $800 million. Despite the challenges and criticisms, efforts are underway to assist victims in the recovery process and rebuild the affected areas.
Source
Photo credit www.carolinajournal.com