FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2025
Brevard, NC
Update on Storm Debris Status in Transylvania County
Today County Commissioner Chairman Jason Chappell, Vice Chair Jake Dalton, County Manager Jaime Laughter and Emergency Management Director met with federal and state representatives regarding the status of debris removal in Transylvania County. This meeting is intended to set a path forward to make sure that outstanding debris concerns are addressed within the county.
NCDOT has hired a contractor that is going to be completing the remainder of debris pick up in NCDOT right of ways that were not collected in the first mission.
Waterway debris removal sites are still being evaluated. A team conducted a windshield tour of remaining waterway debris with county staff to be removed today and will be coordinating on what options may be available to address those concerns. County staff have had several citizens inquire about specific waterway sites and all of those have been shared with the debris team at the state/federal level to be reviewed. County staff will continue to update in the commissioner’s meetings as additional information is available.
Private property debris removal applications are being reviewed, but work moving forward is one hold at the federal level due to funding. There is currently not a timeline for knowing definitively if PPDR will proceed as planned or if there will need to be a different avenue aside from the Army Corps to address these sites. County leaders were assured that if USACE does not receive funding that the applications and packets of site information will transition to the state and may be addressed through a different method. The county will receive information for those applications that are denied and will be notifying property owners of denials once any of those are received.