Raleigh Report: MountainTrue to the NC General Assembly: Let Us Finish Cleaning Up Helene Debris

Good News! MountainTrue has made incredible strides in restoring our region after the devastation of Hurricane Helene. With $10 million in state Helene recovery funds, we have removed more than 2 million pounds of Helene-related debris from about 600 miles of WNC streams, rivers, and lakefront property. 

And we’ve created more than 100 full-time, living wage jobs in the process. 

But there is so much more of WNC to clean up. Without additional funding our debris crews will shut down by the end of the year.

That’s why MountainTrue staff, our lobbyist and even some of our debris crews have been spending so much time in Raleigh this spring. We are walking the halls of the General Assembly – many of us in safety vests and muck boots – to convince lawmakers to approve another round of debris removal funding before they go home for the summer. 

Here is a look at exactly what we are fighting for on behalf of our waterways and communities.

More Demand for Debris Removal Every day, our debris crews meet local folks who thank us for our work – and want our help cleaning up more Helene debris. Recently, we received more than 100 calls in a single week from landowners in McDowell, Yancey, Madison, and Mitchell counties.
  
When we speak to state representatives, we are bringing them the hard data regarding our current unmet needs:

• 320+ Backlogged Sites to date: Our work list grows daily via requests from the NC Disaster Case Management Program and local outreach.
• 113+ Heavy Equipment Sites: These specific locations require funding well beyond human power to safely extract massive hazards in an ecologically sound way.
• Critical Priorities: Extracting large/unsafe wreckage (cars, rebar, collapsed houses), clearing woody debris that diverts water and damages infrastructure, and repairing collapsed riverbanks, bridges, and culverts.

WNC counties with the highest unmet needs are Yancey County with 112 sites, followed by Buncombe with 45, Avery with 25, and McDowell with 24.

Locations of Unmet Needs in WNC as of May 2026

Proving Our Capability: Safe & Responsible Extraction

Recently, MountainTrue teamed up with RJ Corman, a railroad services contractor, and Norfolk Southern Railroad to complete the largest storm debris removal operation since the Army Corps of Engineers left WNC.

During this operation, we:

• Safely extracted 100+ tons of debris from 10 rugged whitewater miles of the French Broad River.
• Hauled out 34 dumpsters of debris, vehicles, and an 11,000-pound gas tank, while carefully separating recyclables to reduce landfill impact.
• Coordinated with specialized contractors to deploy heavy machinery cautiously, ensuring massive hazards are removed without damaging the riverbed.

Stand With Us to Finish the Job

In Raleigh, our message to lawmakers is clear: new funding is needed to clear the 320+ backlogged sites, protect our infrastructure, and fully restore the outdoor recreation economy of Western North Carolina.

You can help by making a donation to support MountainTrue’s advocacy work in the legislature. We are the only WNC environmental organization with a permanent presence in the capital – you can support our strong voice in Raleigh by making a donation here. 

Thank you for standing with us as we continue to advocate, clean up, and protect the places we share.