Disaster Recovery Act passes; Fair Bluff to receive funding

FAIR BLUFF, NC (WECT) - The House of Representatives voted unanimously Wednesday to direct $100 million of disaster recovery funds in the state budget to aid Hurricane Matthew, tropical storm and wildfire recovery efforts spanning housing, infrastructure, agriculture, and education in communities across North Carolina.

Of that $100 million included in the Senate Bill 338 Disaster Recovery Act of 2017, $25 million will be given to the NC Department of Public Safety and Fair Bluff for repairing and building homes.

Gov. Roy Cooper visited Fair Bluff, which is located in Columbus County, on Wednesday to check in on hurricane recovery efforts and attend a roundtable discussion with local leaders.

North Carolina has built a $1.8 billion savings reserve, a state record in total dollars and percentage of the state budget, to prepare for future natural disasters.

The Disaster Recovery Act of 2017 includes:

• $25 million in funding to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the Town of Fair Bluff for the repair and construction of housing.
• $30 million in funding for the Golden L.E.A.F Foundation to provide grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations.
• $20 million to the Department of Agriculture for stream debris removal and non-field farm road repairs; in additional $1 million may be used to for drought relief in the western part of the state.
• $22.3 million to the State Emergency Responses and Disaster Relief Fund to provide the State match for federal disaster assistance programs.
• $2.7 million to the Community College System to support enrollment declines

SB 338 also provides $22 million to the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund to provide the state match for federal disaster assistance programs.

"Protecting the victims of natural disasters is a core responsibility of the North Carolina General Assembly," House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) said, "and we're well prepared to provide emergency relief thanks to responsible spending and record savings that ensure our state is in sound financial shape to serve citizens in times of crisis."

Last December, the General Assembly also approved the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016, which appropriated an additional $100 million from the state's Savings Reserve Account into the General Fund to assist with hurricane, wildfire and tropical storm recovery efforts.

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