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Allows North Carolina State, Indian Tribal, and local governments within the FEMA-4827-DR-NC disaster area to receive federal reimbursement for repair, replacement, or restoration of private roads and bridges damaged by Tropical Storm Helene. Reimbursement is allowed only when governments meet specified eligibility, documentation, and cost-estimation rules and when payments do not duplicate prior individual assistance.
Authorizes reimbursement under section 428 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for the cost of repairs, replacements, or restoration to private roads and bridges for State, Indian Tribal, and local governments in North Carolina covered under major disaster declaration FEMA–4827–DR–NC. This authorization is stated to apply notwithstanding other provisions of the Stafford Act and FEMA public assistance regulations.
Reimbursement is allowed without regard to the pre-existing condition of the private roads and bridges.
Eligible private roads or bridges must be used as the sole means of access to primary residences or to essential community services.
Eligible private roads or bridges must be significantly damaged or destroyed as a direct result of Tropical Storm Helene as identified in FEMA–4827–DR–NC.
Work that would duplicate work that has already been completed is not eligible for reimbursement under this section.
Primary impacts fall on North Carolina state, Tribal, and local governments that are responsible for managing access and recovery on private roads and bridges in the FEMA–4827–DR–NC area. Those governments can recover federal funds for eligible repair and restoration costs, reducing local fiscal burden after Tropical Storm Helene. Private owners of damaged roads and bridges benefit indirectly because their damaged access infrastructure can be repaired through government-managed projects. FEMA or the administering federal program will incur additional administrative workload to review, verify, and process reimbursement claims and to ensure duplication-of-benefit rules are applied. The requirement for detailed cost estimates and documentation increases administrative requirements for local governments but also supports accurate payment and oversight. There is limited broader fiscal or policy impact because the measure is narrowly targeted to one disaster declaration and one set of infrastructure types.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Theodore Paul Budd · Last progress January 28, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Introduced in Senate