Whiteville and Wallace to receive support accessing federal flood resiliency funds

WHITEVILLE, N.C. (WECT) - Whiteville and Wallace are among five communities chosen for the Flood Resilient Communities Cohort, launched by the American Flood Coalition on Friday, May 26.

“In 2021, the American Flood Coalition advocated for and successfully secured historic levels of investments for flood resilience. But too often, such federal funds are out of reach for communities on the front lines of flooding,” said AFC Executive Director Melissa Roberts. “Our Flood Resilient Community Cohort will break down these barriers and ensure investments get to the communities that need them the most.”

Other members of the cohort include Canton and New Bern in North Carolina and Pickens County in South Carolina.

The cohort will run through July 2024, and the American Flood Coalition will use feedback from communities to work towards making federal programs more equitable and accessible.

“To achieve these outcomes, American Flood Coalition will host group workshops and community-specific sessions. Communities will learn to identify specific flood resilience projects from existing local plans, strengthen those projects by incorporating community input, and understand what federal programs can fund those projects. AFC’s subject matter experts will provide guidance each step of the way,” states an announcement from the coalition.

“With recent legislation to boost flood resilience, the country has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to upgrade America’s infrastructure with resilience in mind. As storms get stronger and more frequent, the infrastructure built from these investments will protect and strengthen our communities for decades to come,” the announcement continues.