NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As East Tennesseans continue to recover from Helene , Governor Bill Lee announced $100 million to help clear debris and restore infrastructure.
This money is eligible to be used by the following heavily-affected counties:
- Carter
- Claiborne
- Cocke
- Grainger
- Greene
- Hamblen
- Hawkins
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Sevier
- Sullivan
- Unicoi
- Washington
In a press conference, Lee explained how this is part of the Helene Emergency Assistance Loans (HEAL) program . Lee said that he believes now is the time for the state to heal after this disaster.
Girl still missing after disappearing on 1976 high school trip in the Smokies “The local counties need immediate relief to help them with the cleanup. Federal funding through FEMA takes a long time. So we actually developed a 0% loan program for those counties,” Lee told 6 News on Thursday. “We’re going to continue to work with [local leaders] and I met with general assembly leadership yesterday to say what are the steps going forward to help our neighbors in the East.”
Thirty-five million dollars have been dedicated to addressing water and wastewater system damage. The remaining $65 million is meant to be divided evenly among eligible communities to address debris removal. Lee categorized the state’s response as “ survivor-centric ” in a briefing on Oct. 2.
In terms of federal dollars, the governor spoke about the continued collaboration with FEMA and other governmental agencies. For instance, the U.S. Department of Transportation granted $32 million to the state for recovery efforts. A portion of Interstate 26 reopened for local motorists on Oct. 10.
Taylor Swift donates $5 million to Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts Lee attributed Tennessee’s fiscal conservatism as the reason for their position in making government work for the people. Lee also commended all the volunteers and communities that have provided help to Tennesseans in need.
Lee also floated the possibility of calling a special session focused on flood relief while at an event in Knoxville on Oct. 17.
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