RALEIGH -- A first round of state grants will go to seven communities hit hard by Hurricane Matthew to repair water and sewer systems, improve drainage and rebuild a local airport, Governor Cooper announced.

Also this week, North Carolina begins to seek public comment on the state’s Action Plan to use $198.5 million in its initial allocation of federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds. Governor Cooper wants the funds to help communities in eastern North Carolina address critical housing and economic development needs.

“North Carolina is working to help communities impacted by Hurricane Matthew rebuild even stronger and better than before,” Gov. Cooper said. “We still have a long way to go before those devastated by the storm are whole again but these grants and this action plan are key steps to get us there.”

The CDBG-DR Action Plan will direct the state’s recovery for the initial federal funding awarded in January; Cooper plans to ask Congress for additional funds now that damage assessments have been compiled across all 50 disaster-affected counties.

Recovery Grants

Under the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016, the Rural Economic Development Division of NC Commerce awarded state-funded recovery grants based on requests from local governments. Additional grants are expected to be awarded to more projects in the coming months. The communities receiving grants are:

Ayden in Pitt County will get $266,500 to replace and reroute storm sewer piping that failed during Hurricane Matthew.

Brunswick County will get $1,217,343 to help repair a water main feed damaged by Hurricane Matthew.

Edenton in Chowan County will get $187,995 to identify and clear storm debris from sewer lines and repair the lines as needed.

Elizabeth City in Pasquotank County will get $600,000 to replace and relocate sewer infrastructure that failed during Matthew.

Pembroke in Robeson County will get $893,291 to help repair and reshape channels and culverts that carry storm water away from the UNC Pembroke campus.

Pitt County will get $1,660,000 to help repair flood damage to the Pitt-Greenville airport.

Tyrrell County will get $400,000 to upgrade culverts and elevate State Road 1209 to prevent future flooding.

CDBG-DR Action Plan

To help North Carolina recover from Hurricane Matthew, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has appropriated $198.5 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to the state. North Carolina has developed a plan on how to best use those funds and the plan is now available for public comment.

The Action Plan will focus on addressing a critical lack of affordable housing in the hard hit counties of Edgecombe, Wayne, Robeson and Cumberland.

Public comment on the “North Carolina CDBG-DR Action Plan” began March 31, 2017 and will conclude on April 14, 2017. The Action Plan comment form is available online in English:  and Spanish:

http://rebuild.nc.gov/HurricaneMatthew/Programs/CDBG-DR/CDBGComment

http://rebuild.nc.gov/HurricaneMatthew/Programs/CDBG-DR/CDBGComment/sp