North Carolina has endured a series of hurricanes in recent years, extending recovery and relief efforts for the state as some communities have faced back-to-back natural disasters. As hurricane season begins in North Carolina, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors approved more than $7.9 million for 30 recovery and mitigation projects resulting from Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, and Dorian.
The projects awarded at the June Board meeting support the repair or replacement of infrastructure or equipment or construction of new infrastructure for hazard mitigation in Beaufort, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Hyde, Johnston, Moore, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Robeson, Tyrrell, and Wayne counties. These projects provide permanent back up generators, repair of buildings, and improvement or repair of critical water and sewer infrastructure.
During Hurricane Dorian in Elizabeth City, six pump stations were submerged due to inflow and infiltration of stormwater into the sanitary sewer system. As a result, the wastewater treatment plant experienced flows more than two times greater than capacity and exceeded capacity for several days after the storm had passed. Hurricane Matthew resulted in seven submerged pump stations and wastewater treatment plant flows nearly three times greater than capacity. These overflows caused public health risks with contaminated water.
“The funding will remedy these nine pump stations and increase our City’s resiliency against future heavy rain events,” said Jon Hawley, Grants Administrator for the City of Elizabeth City. “Golden LEAF’s support is a key step forward for improving our infrastructure to better serve the community.”
Projects like the one in Elizabeth City not only repair damaged infrastructure but mitigate against future damage in the next flooding event.
The Disaster Recovery Grant Program is funded through appropriations by the State of North Carolina to the Golden LEAF Foundation to make grants to governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits to repair or replace infrastructure and equipment damaged or destroyed by Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Michael, and Dorian. Funds may also be used to construct new infrastructure for hazard mitigation.
To date, Golden LEAF has awarded more than $103 million in disaster recovery projects of the $114.5 million in state appropriations for the program.
The following Disaster Recovery Grant Program projects received funding at the June 2020 Board meeting:
Beaufort
- $62,030.00 to the Town of Aurora for the installation of permanent backup generators at critical facilities.
Brunswick
- $311,250.00 to Brunswick Novant Medical Center Foundation for the installation of a permanent backup water well. (Hurricane Florence)
- $124,000.00 to the Town of Caswell Beach for engineering assessment for stormwater infrastructure. (Hurricane Florence)
- $378,000.00 to Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation, Inc. for the installation of a permanent backup water well. (Hurricane Florence)
Carteret
- $425,000.00 to Carteret County General Hospital Foundation for the installation of a permanent backup water well. (Hurricane Florence)
Columbus
- $50,000.00 to the Town of Bolton for an engineering assessment of leaking waterlines. (Hurricane Florence)
- $325,000.00 to the Town of Lake Waccamaw for the elevation of electrical controls and installation of backup generators at critical lift stations. (Hurricane Florence)
- $510,000.00 to Tabor City for improved replacement of a sewer pump station and other sewer infrastructure. (Hurricane Florence)
Craven
- $1,393,800.00 to Craven County for the installation of permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricane Florence)
- $320,000.00 to the City of New Bern for the elevation of critical electrical infrastructure. (Hurricane Florence)
Duplin
- $185,000.00 to the Town of Calypso for an engineering assessment for stormwater infrastructure. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
Greene
- $151,400.00 to Greene County for the installation of permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricane Dorian)
Hyde
- $10,000.00 to the Ocracoke Assembly of God Church for the repair of a septic tank damaged as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
- $95,149.60 to Ocracoke United Methodist Church for the repair and required elevation of the church structure damaged as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
Johnston
- Increase of a previously awarded grant by $300,000.00 to the Town of Benson for higher than expected bids to replace the Public Works building. (Hurricane Matthew)
Moore
- $62,450.00 to Cypress Point Fire & Rescue to replace the roof damaged by Hurricane Florence.
- $500,000.00 to the Town of Robbins to replace the pump station damaged by Hurricane Florence.
Onslow
- $50,000.00 to Sandy Run Missionary Baptist Church to replace a church building destroyed by Hurricane Florence.
Pamlico
- Increase of previously awarded grant by $32,601.18 to Union Chapel AME Zion to provide additional funds to enable repair of the church and fellowship hall due to higher than expected bids. (Hurricane Florence)
Pasquotank
- $996,300.00 to Elizabeth City to support the elevation of electrical controls and other mitigation efforts at critical pump stations. (Hurricanes Matthew and Dorian)
Robeson
- $538,000.00 to Lumberton to support the elevation of and other mitigation improvements at the raw water intake. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- Increase a previously awarded grant by $100,000.00 to the Town of St. Pauls to enable the use of funds for an engineering assessment for stormwater infrastructure. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- $9,245.50 to the United Way of Robeson County to repair the roof of the Robeson County Church and Community Center in Red Springs damaged by Hurricane Florence.
Tyrrell
- Increase a previously awarded grant by $25,000.00 to Tyrrell County for the relocation of a maintenance garage from a flood prone area. (Hurricane Matthew)
Wayne
- $409,000.00 to Belfast-Patetown Sanitary District to install permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- $225,000.00 to Eastern Wayne Sanitary District to install permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- $8,054.87 to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for building repairs and carpet replacement. (Hurricane Florence).
- $59,000.00 to Northwestern Wayne Sanitary District to install permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- $240,000.00 to Southeastern Wayne Sanitary District to install permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)
- $51,000.00 to Southwestern Wayne Sanitary District to install permanent backup generators at critical facilities. (Hurricanes Matthew and Florence)