Gov. Bill Lee unveils $100 million relief fund for flooded areas

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – On Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee unveiled a $100 million immediate relief fund for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The Helene Emergency Assistance Loans Program (HEAL) will serve Tennesseans eligible for assistance in the following regional counties: Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington. Other counties in East Tennessee like Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson and others can also receive assistance.

The HEAL Program allocates $35 million to counties that experienced extensive water and wastewater system damage.

Another $65 million will be divided equally among eligible counties to aid with recovery and debris cleanup.

“Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster for Tennessee, and many local communities don’t have the resources to recover on their own,” said Lee. “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.”

On Monday, Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger visited the disaster relief center at Bristol Motor Speedway .

For a complete list of counties eligible for assistance or to learn more, visit the tn.gov website .

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