@NRSC Governor Roy Cooper returned to North Carolina on September 25, 2024, the same day he spoke at The New York Times Climate Forward Conference, arriving back in the state before Hurricane Helene made landfall.
@NRSC Secured significant federal backing, including a 100% FEMA reimbursement agreement for debris removal costs and specialized transitional housing for displaced residents. [1, 2]
@NRSC Led a congressional delegation in November 2024 requesting $25.57 billion in federal assistance and pressed state lawmakers for multi-billion dollar local relief packages
@NRSC Traveled repeatedly to Western North Carolina alongside FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and state emergency officials to coordinate relief operations, open supply distribution hubs, and survey infrastructure
@NRSC • Deployed over 3,000 National Guard and military personnel, alongside dozens of helicopters and thousands of vehicles, to conduct swift-water rescues, clear debris, and deliver millions of meals and liters of water to isolated mountain communities.
@NRSC Cooper declared a State of Emergency on September 25, 2024, ahead of the storm's landfall, and swiftly requested a Federal Major Disaster Declaration, which President Biden approved.
@NRSC Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper led an unprecedented emergency response and recovery effort following Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, which caused a record $53 billion in damage and became the deadliest storm in the state's history.