Statement from Governor Josh Stein on FEMA Ending Direct Assistance

Governor Josh Stein today released the following statement regarding FEMA’s notification that it will no longer provide direct federal assistance for the US Army Corps of Engineers:

“I want to thank FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers for its hard work to clear debris all over western North Carolina. I am pleased that they will stay in North Carolina to finish existing missions, and my team looks forward to working closely with them to get those jobs done quickly. Together, we have removed more than 12 million cubic yards of debris from our roads and waterways. Unfortunately, there remains vast amounts of work yet to be done. Our state’s debris removal program is prepared to contract and execute the remaining debris removal and will work diligently and with urgency to complete those jobs as soon as possible.

“We continue to ask President Trump to respond favorably to the state’s appeal for 100% FEMA reimbursement. This is a critical part of the state’s successful recovery. If not, North Carolina taxpayers will be responsible for a portion of the cost to remove the remaining debris, which could total hundreds of millions of dollars.”