DEQ Awards $3 Million to Haywood County for Hurricane Helene Recovery
By Marge | Published 2025-09-23T20:33:37.417+00:00
News
Hawyooe County -- September 23, 2025: The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has allocated a total of $3 million to two local partners in Haywood County to bolster ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene and to enhance the region's ability to withstand future storms.
The Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) is set to receive $2 million in state funds through the Helene Fund, as authorized by Session Law 2025-2 (SL 2025-2). This grant will be used for cleaning and restoring the Pigeon River Watershed, an area that suffered extensive damage from both Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Fred. The storms caused significant streambank erosion, habitat destruction, and left large debris blockages in the waterways. The initiative is expected to benefit more than 60,