The federal government is sending more than $32 million to North Carolina to rebuild infrastructure torn apart by Hurricane Helene and to expand industrial water and job-training capacity in two other counties. The U.S. Economic Development Administration's grants target four projects: a wastewater treatment expansion in Hendersonville, a new electric substation in Forest City, a workforce training center conversion in Sylva, and water infrastructure for an industrial site in Cumberland County.
The largest single award, $20,092,800, will expand Hendersonville's wastewater treatment plant, according to Tampa Free Press. The city has described recovery efforts related to the facility.
The city has also described water-service recovery efforts related to the plant. The federal award adds to broader recovery efforts.
Jobs and Investment Tied to the Hendersonville Project
The Hendersonville wastewater project is expected to create nearly 200 jobs and retain more than 500 existing positions, the report from the seed publisher notes. It's also projected to generate roughly $75 million in private investment once complete.
In Forest City, the EDA awarded $7,798,480 for a new electric substation designed to withstand future severe weather and improve grid reliability. That project is expected to draw more than $9 million in private funding and add roughly 30 jobs, per the Tampa Free Press report. Nearly two years after Helene struck Western North Carolina, mountain communities including Hendersonville and Forest City continue to rely on federal infrastructure grants to rebuild essential services, according to a September statement from the Office of U.S. Senator Ted Budd.
Budd said the EDA's announcement of more than $32 million in federal investments for disaster recovery and public works projects across North Carolina marks a major step toward rebuilding communities devastated by Hurricane Helene and creating new opportunities for North Carolina workers. He credited the Trump administration with delivering the federal resources needed to complete the four projects.
Central North Carolina Gets Its Own Slice of the Funding
Away from the mountains, the EDA allocated $2,593,557 to convert a former library at Southwestern Community College in Sylva into a Workforce Continuing Education and Small Business Center. The center is expected to expand available career positions to more than 100 and double local training and employment opportunities, according to the Tampa Free Press. Capital projects at the Jackson County school have historically blended EDA federal funding with local revenue sources, including a quarter-cent local sales tax approved by Jackson County voters, per Southwestern Community College.
In Cumberland County, the EDA granted $1,519,753 to the Fayetteville Public Works Commission for water infrastructure supporting the 401 North Industrial Site. That capacity is meant to serve incoming manufacturing facilities, with the site expected to generate 300 new jobs and secure $867 million in private sector investment, the seed report states. The site also has water and sewer infrastructure needs tied to a commercial project.
Budd said EDA public works investments in Cumberland and Jackson counties will drive economic growth while creating more jobs for North Carolinians. The Fayetteville utility has separately raised residential rates in recent months to help fund its own capital infrastructure, as Hoodline previously reported.
A Fraction of the Recovery Still Needed
The $32 million package is part of a larger $62 million round of EDA grants announced September 10 under its FY 2025 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs, which also funded other projects, according to the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Days earlier, Hoodline reported that Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College had locked in $29.2 million from the same federal source for its own workforce retraining facility following Helene.
Even with these awards, substantial recovery needs remain statewide. Helene affected communities across North Carolina.
Governor Josh Stein has pressed Congress for far more federal help. In June, Stein discussed North Carolina's recovery needs. Stein also unveiled a $53 million homeownership fund for Helene-hit families in August, which Hoodline covered at the time.
The storm that triggered all of this recovery spending came during a year of severe weather disasters nationwide. North Carolina's grant applications continue to move through the State Water Infrastructure Authority, according to Water Finance & Management.
