State makes $100M loans available to hurricane counties

(The Center Square) – Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday that $100 million in state-funded loans are available to help counties affected by Hurricane Helene.

The program, dubbed Helene Emergency Assistance Loans, or HEAL, is funded by TennCare Shared Savings, the governor said. Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties can opt-in to the no-interest loans.

The other $35 million will go toward damaged water and wastewater systems in the eligible counties, according to Lee's office.

Counties cannot wait for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the damage from the hurricane was extensive.

“Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster for Tennessee, and many local communities don’t have the resources to recover on their own,” Lee said. “Federal dollars will be available later, but these communities need immediate relief. Tennessee’s record of fiscal conservatism has placed us in a strong financial position to make government work for the people and step up to help in this time of need.”

More than 4,800 residents have registered for FEMA aid, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The agency approved more than $5.1 million for its Individual and Household Program.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation asked for help Thursday in finding property owners along damaged roads. Their permission is needed to obtain right-of-ways.

"We’ve heard some property owners in East Tennessee are concerned about a form they may have received. This is not a scam," the agency said. "TDOT is contacting property owners to gain temporary right-of-entry access to repair and reconstruct impacted state routes in their existing location. We need permission to be on your property as crews repair or rebuild roads."

Seventeen people died in the storm, according to the Department of Health.