A lot of debris ended up at the walk bridge during Helene. Last fall, volunteers picked a lot of it away. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
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MADISON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Thousands in Western North Carolina have signed up to get private property debris from Tropical Storm Helene removed, and many have been waiting months after applying for the federally-funded program.
The loads can be small or large, but property owners who want it must apply first to get enrolled. Madison County is the latest to open locations for debris removal.
Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt said the PPDR sign-up program for owners started March 11, with registration sites now open at the Marshall Library, the Hot Springs Library and the Mars Hill Library. Honeycutt said he expects a number of property owners to sign up for the program, but he said the majority of debris was in the county’s waterways, not on private property.
ASHEVILLE, ARMY CORPS MAKE PROGRESS IN DEBRIS REMOVAL: OVER A MILLION CUBIC YARDS CLEARED
News 13 has been closely following the program in Buncombe County, and commissioners chose to go with the U.S. Army Corps' program, where 3,000 property owners signed up. By the end of last month, 287 property owners in Buncombe had their debris piles removed, but hundreds more remain in the cue, according to the U.S. Army Corps.
Mike Morgan, spokesman for Henderson County, the area’s second-largest county, told News 13 on March 11 that contractor SDR should be “starting at sites today or tomorrow, but more likely this week.”
Hundreds of property owners are signed up in Henderson and have been attending public meetings in the county to find out when the PPDR (private property debris removal) program will start. Henderson commissioners opted to go with the state-contracted program rather than using the U.S. Army Corps like Buncombe did.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY CONTRACTOR'S RIGHT-OF-WAY DEBRIS PICKUP ENDS APRIL 1
Like Henderson County, Madison County also opted to use the state contract program with contractor SDR.
Transylvania, Polk, Mitchell and McDowell counties chose the U.S. Army Corps program. None of the counties have seen PPDR start for citizens yet, but Adrienne Jones, Deputy EMS Director for McDowell, said she and other county staff members want to get the word out to the public that the program exists.
Jones reports 314 owners have applied with 40 applications completed and in the cue. She said 64 applicants have had their property assessed and the program should begin in two months.
“Mostly, we’re seeing vegetative debris, downed trees, limbs, hazardous things like that,” said Jones. “While we have seen a decent demand, we are still wanting to go do outreach to make sure folks do know about this program. If you have trees that are leaning or hanging or look hazardous, please apply for the program to determine eligibility and provide you with that free assistance while it’s available.”
Here are the required documents needed for debris removal:
Below is contact information for PPDR debris application assistance in several counties. We will add more information as we gather it:
Buncombe County
Debris hotline: 828-250-6100 #2
Visit FEMA site: 1 Taylor Road, Fairview
Monday-Friday - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Henderson County
Debris hotline: 828-319-2880
Visit Disaster Recovery Center: 2111 Asheville Highway
Tuesdays - 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Thursdays - 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturdays - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Madison County
Application sites below are open
Mars Hill Library:
March 14: Noon - 6 p.m.; March 22: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Marshall Library:
March 13, March 17: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hot Springs Community Center:
March 12: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
McDowell County
Apply in person EMS Headquarters, 129 Barnes Road, Marion
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Polk County
Apply in person FEMA Disaster Center US Army Corp contract
Isothermal Community College Site: 1255 West Mill Street Columbus
Haywood County
For information email: [email protected]
Commissioners will discuss at Monday meeting if they’ll choose Army Corp or State-contract for PPDR
Program sign-up hasn’t begun for PPDR
Rutherford County
County Manager Steve Garrison reports the county has been in communication with the US Army Corp of Engineers and that the contract request is submitted to initiate PPDR in Rutherford County.
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“We are in a holding pattern at the moment awaiting a final decision by the Army Corp to initiate this programming in Rutherford County,” said Garrison.