RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, officials say billions of dollars in recovery remain locked behind federal red tape.

State officials call Helene the worst natural disaster in North Carolina history, leaving behind an estimated $60 billion in damages. Yet the state has received only $5 billion of the $23 billion requested from Washington, according to the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina the agency leading coordination across recovery efforts.

“We need to make sure that we get adequate, flexible funding to continue to rebuild homes, to rebuild our infrastructure, revitalize our economy, and make sure that we can put our best foot forward for the decades to come,” said Grow NC Director Matt Calabria.

So far, cr

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