Bipartisan Efforts Boost Western North Carolina Flood Resilience
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Bipartisan Efforts Boost Western North Carolina Flood Resilience
- The American Flood Coalition (AFC) works to unite local, state, and federal leaders from both sides of the aisle to address increasing flood risks across the country, including in Western North Carolina where it has over 480 members.
- In February 2025, the AFC launched the Western North Carolina Recovery & Resilience Partnership, a regional initiative to secure resources and improve policies for disaster recovery and future flood preparedness following Hurricane Helene.
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The American Flood Coalition (AFC), a bipartisan organization, is actively engaged in Western North Carolina, fostering collaboration between Republicans and Democrats to enhance flood protection and recovery efforts. The AFC’s mission is to drive transformational adaptation to safeguard communities from rising waters, more intense storms, and frequent flooding. They achieve this by working at local, state, and federal levels, empowering a diverse coalition of leaders to advance flood solutions.
In November 2023, the AFC organized a “High Country Flood Resilience Tour” in partnership with the High Country Councils of Government, bringing together county staff, elected officials, and state agency representatives to highlight the unique flooding challenges faced by communities in the region. This tour allowed local leaders to directly share their experiences with state officials and learn about resources, including those funded by North Carolina’s budget, and tools like AFC’s Flood Funding Finder, which simplifies the complex federal grants system.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, the AFC was on the ground in Western North Carolina, supporting communities in their recovery. In February 2025, the AFC convened nearly two dozen local leaders to formally launch the Western North Carolina Recovery & Resilience Partnership. This partnership is a community-led initiative aimed at securing financial support, resources, and policy improvements for Helene’s recovery and to better prepare the state for future disasters. As part of the launch, tours were conducted in Biltmore Village in Asheville and the town of Marshall, both significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene, where elected leaders and state agency representatives met with business leaders to discuss flood risk and recovery priorities. The AFC emphasizes the importance of a unified voice to advocate for assistance and to ensure that the needs of Western North Carolina remain a priority for media, state legislature, and Congress.