Mullin Reinforces Commitment to North Carolina Recovery Efforts on First Official Trip as Secretary of DHS

The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA are committed to empowering states and accelerating disaster recovery across the nation

WASHINGTON - In his first official trip as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin met with Sen. Budd, Rep. Edwards, Rep. Moore and state and local officials in North Carolina to reinforce the Department's commitment to Western North Carolina's recovery and coordinate additional federal support.

During his visit, Secretary Mullin underscored the Administration's commitment by highlighting the additional $130 million recently awarded to the state for recovery and mitigation projects. This includes $103 million in Public Assistance to help the hard-hit area of Western North Carolina rebuild. It also included $26 million in mitigation funding to buy out 75 damaged residential properties, bringing needed relief to the homeowners.

"Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet the fearless state and local leaders of Western North Carolina who are rebuilding their communities after the devastation of Hurricane Helene," said Secretary Mullin. "I saw firsthand hurricane damage still present and will be making sure FEMA relief continues to help Americans rebuild their homes and communities. I am humbled and honored to serve the citizens of our great Homeland. Thanks for having me."

Secretary Mullin's first stop was Lake Lure - a cornerstone of the local economy and tourism - where he met with Mayor Pro Tem David DiOrio. FEMA Public Assistance funding is helping restore the Lake Lure marina and recreational areas to draw visitors back to the region ahead of Memorial Day. More than 1.2 million cubic yards of waterway debris have been removed, U.S. Route 64 repairs are nearing completion, and the refilling of the lake is underway - strong signs of recovery and a rebound in tourism.

Secretary Mullin's next stop was Chimney Rock Village where he met with Sen. Budd and local leaders at the Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Station, hosting a roundtable to hear their recovery stories. Mullin highlighted the recent buyout program - providing more than $26 million in FEMA hazard mitigation funding to buy out 75 severely damaged homes in Henderson, Polk and Yancey counties. He emphasized that this is an important first step to help families move forward and reduce future flood risk. In closing, Mullin reaffirmed his commitment to working with federal, state and local partners to cut red tape to expedite the community's long-term recovery efforts.

In Chimney Rock, Mayor Peter O'Leary guided Secretary Mullin along Main Street, highlighting the community's resilience. They stopped at a local coffee shop, where Secretary Mullin and the group enjoyed a selection of local ice cream and spoke with business owners about the town's progress and recovery. The small mountain town, home to fewer than 150 residents, suffered significant losses as Hurricane Helene wiped out much of the community. A FEMA-funded temporary wastewater treatment system restored sewer service and allowed 15 businesses to reopen. Mayor O'Leary's own establishment, Bubba O'Leary's General Store, reopened last fall, almost a year after the storm.

To date, FEMA has provided more than $5 billion to support North Carolina's recovery, including more than $1.4 billion for 2,300 recovery projects like debris removal, rebuilding critical infrastructure and other storm-related damage to public property. More than $564.2 million has been awarded to roughly 161,000 families to help with home repairs, rent and other critical needs. Approximately $66.2 million under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is helping fund recovery work that will reduce future disaster losses in North Carolina.

FEMA will continue to work closely with the state of North Carolina and federal partners to ensure communities have the support they need to move recovery forward.