Western North Carolina continues to seek more federal disaster assistance, arguing the state has received a smaller share of funds than others as local governments cover recovery gaps while awaiting Raleigh and Washington.

Representative Prather emphasizes that local governments and communities are shouldering significant recovery costs and await broader funding, underscoring firsthand funding needs in the region.

Federal disaster funding for Helene has been slow, with the state seeking at least $19.2 billion but only a fraction arriving; by December, $2.4 billion had been dispersed and another $4.6 billion awarded but not yet disbursed.

A dedicated $17 million would fund wildfire mitigation, park restoration, and forestry facility rebuilding to address fire risks and debris-related challenges.

The plan aims to accelerate recovery by supporting families, rebuilding communities, and strengthening long-term resilience as milestones approach.

An additional $100 million is requested to repair or replace private roads, bridges, and culverts damaged by Helene, addressing critical access for emergency and community services.

An additional $100 million proposed to repair or replace damaged private roads, bridges, and culverts that are critical access routes for emergency and essential services.

Recipient towns include Bakersville, Spruce Pine, Sylva, and Dillsboro, with infrastructure upgrades, repairs, and stormwater improvements.

Remaining funds would cover housing, tourism, general infrastructure repairs, and business support as part of broader recovery needs.

Channel 9 footage shows active recovery work, including home rebuilds near Spruce Pine and families living in campers after flood and fallen-tree damage.

A link is provided to view the full list of recipients and amounts for transparency and completeness.

The package includes water and wastewater repairs, dam restoration, upgraded emergency communications, and grants to volunteer rebuilding groups, with existing Disaster Relief and Mitigation Fund grants cited as ongoing efforts.