Submitted photo from Jones County Chat

North Carolina is set to receive much-needed disaster recovery funding.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed a delayed disaster relief package that will impact North Carolina.

“I am glad the Senate has finally passed critical disaster relief funding that Americans across the country desperately need,” U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) stated on his Twitter feed and website. “This funding is long overdue and will help thousands of North Carolinian families and small businesses still recovering from the historic damage incurred by Hurricane Florence last fall.”

The following is from Senator Burr’s website:

The Supplemental Appropriations Act included $19.1 billion to provide disaster relief for Americans impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, flooding and other natural disasters.

Specifically, this funding includes:

• $381 million to repair damages to Marine Corps installations, including Camp Lejeune

• $1 billion for the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies account to better support emergency preparation and repairs for floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters

• $600 million for the planning and construction of projects to replace facilities damaged by Hurricanes Florence and Michael

• $2.4 billion for Community Development Block Grants for disasters since 2017, and permits states to interchangeably use funds from Hurricane Matthew for Hurricane Florence

• $3 billion for farm disaster assistance to cover producers’ losses stemming from the 2018 and 2019 natural disasters

• $168 million in mitigation dollars, which were appropriated to North Carolina in 2018, to be distributed to the state within the next 90 days

“Jones County will be working with our Recovery Team to seek all available funding as a result of Hurricane Florence,” Jones County Manager Franky J. Howard said. “We know there are still great needs among our citizens and we will do what we can to bring additional resources to the table to assist those in need.”

Howard continued, “We are very grateful for what FEMA and the state has already provided and we look forward to working with them in the near future as they roll out these additional funds. We will be seeking funds for housing, infrastructure, hazard mitigation and resiliency improvements.”