RALEIGH — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has halted paying out the $134 million owed to dozens of North Carolina counties for repairs after Hurricane Matthew, WRAL reported.
The recent aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida has pushed recovery from Hurricane Matthew, which took place 11 months ago, to the back burner.
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FEMA alerted emergency management directors in 50 North Carolina counties this week of the temporary hold, as well as officials in other states where a federal disaster has been declared, such as Western states after wildfires.
Most of the individual claims for Matthew recovery money have already been paid out. The money being held up would reimburse cities and counties for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.
FEMA is required by law to pay for the repairs but the freeze could tie up federal recovery funds for months.
