NC Gov. Josh Stein says federal government 'has not met the moment' on Helene funding

Briah Lumpkins, The Charlotte Observer on Aug 21, 2025

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In a Wednesday press conference addressing the potential impacts of Hurricane Erin on North Carolina’s coast, Gov. Josh Stein criticized the federal government for a lack of efficiency in releasing needed funds to communities still reeling from the effect of Helene.

For months, money intended to reimburse Western North Carolina municipalities for debris removal, road and bridge repairs and more has been held up by the federal government.

Stein confirmed that about $85 million of that money attached to previously approved projects is expected to be released soon. But while the money is flowing, it’s still slow-moving, he said. The state is still waiting on $100 million more to be released, Stein said Wednesday.

In a statement to the Charlotte Observer, a FEMA representative said the agency’s response to Helene has been on par with and, in some cases, exceeded the response to other storms in the region. The statement highlighted a 90% federal cost share for FEMA’s public assistance program, nearly $504 million in individual assistance grants and $627 million in public assistance reimbursements.

“Every disaster is unique, and recovery will look different in every community and across every type of disaster,” the statement said. “The Trump Administration, under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, has prioritized supporting recovery efforts in North Carolina and delivering resources to those impacted by Hurricane Helene more broadly.”

In the press conference, Stein said that the federal government’s response to Helene has lagged behind the response for other storms. Combined, federal assistance from agencies such as FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Transportation and Small Business Administration equates to only 8% of the total $60 billion in damage Helene inflicted on Western North Carolina, the Democratic governor said.

“The federal government has not met the moment,” Stein said. “We’re going to continue to make our case to our congressional delegation and to the administration to urge them to support Western North Carolina to the degree it is necessary.”

The remnants of Hurricane Helene killed more than 100 people in North Carolina and caused historic levels of damage when the storm slammed into the mountains in September 2024.

The release of funds comes after pressure from Stein on Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security under Republican President Donald Trump.

In June, Noem ordered that all contracts and grants over $100,000 awarded by Department of Homeland Security agencies – such as FEMA – had to be signed off by her personally before release, CNN reported. The move was a part of the Trump administration’s latest attempts to curb waste and fraud within the federal government.

Afterward, in a July 22 letter addressed to Noem, Stein pleaded for the department to quickly release the funds. Applications submitted by municipalities as far back as February sat without a final decision from the federal government.

“This delayed funding is particularly onerous for local governments,” says the letter, first reported by WRAL and obtained by The Charlotte Observer. “Because FEMA operates largely through reimbursements, local governments must pay up front for emergency services like debris removal, then wait for FEMA to repay them. Cash-strapped local governments in western North Carolina need this money as soon as possible to keep essential services going, whether that is continuing recovery operations, paying first responders and teachers, or picking up trash.”

According to WRAL, Stein wrote another letter to Noem on Aug. 15 asking why the funds haven’t been released.

As Hurricane Erin approaches on the Atlantic Coast, North Carolina is bracing for the storm, with Stein deploying National Guard troops and declaring a state of emergency. When asked Wednesday by a reporter if Stein expects anything different from the federal government in relation to potential damage in Eastern North Carolina, he said: “It remains to be seen.”

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