Hurricane recovery, resilience, community investment highlight DEQ actions in 2025

In 2025, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) supported communities recovering from Hurricane Helene, took actions to address PFAS contamination and continued to protect the state’s natural resources for the health and prosperity of all North Carolinians.  

The monumental task of helping communities recover from Hurricane Helene, while rebuilding in a way that makes them more resilient to future storms, played a central role in the Department’s actions last year. In addition to the highlights below, DEQ focused during the past 12 months on helping North Carolinians recover from the hurricane.

2025 By the Numbers

Aiding recovery, resiliency in WNC

• In addition to the highlights below, DEQ focused during the past 18 months on helping North Carolinians recover from Helene:
  • Awarded $365 million in grants for water infrastructure repairs and resiliency.
  • Mapped 4,000 landslides, helping North Carolinians stay safe from future slides.
  • Inspected 400 dams.
  • Awarded $12 million to clean up debris in streams and rivers.
  • Designated 177 debris collection sites.
     
• In 2025, DEQ received the first federal funding through EPA to improve flood resiliency to drinking water, wastewater and septic systems affected by Hurricane Helene. The Division of Water Infrastructure received $685 million in supplemental funds and has completed two funding rounds using these funds to date.
   
• The Dam Safety Program established the North Carolina Dam Safety Grant Fund in accordance with House Bill 1012 (SL2025-26), making $10 million in state funding available to dam owners for the rehabilitation and/or removal of Hurricane Helene damaged high-hazard dams.
   
• In August, EPA awarded DEQ a $61 million grant for Hurricane Helene State Program Support for Hazardous Waste Management. The grant will run through Sept. 30, 2030, and will assist North Carolina with emergency response and recovery from Hurricane Helene. It also will fund preparations for emergency recovery as related to DEQ’s hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste, recycling and materials management, emergency response programs and pesticide management.  
   
• DEQ created the Western NC Recovery Grants Program that provides free, customized grant writing support to local governments and partner nonprofits in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. The program objective is to help impacted communities secure federal and state funding for long-term recovery projects.  
   
• NC Geological Survey staff mapped more than 2,600 landslides resulting from Hurricane Helene and responded to more than 400 landslides.  
   
• The NC General Assembly allocated emergency disaster recovery funding to DEQ’s Underground Storage Tank Section (UST) to assist owners and operators with testing and repairing tanks that store petroleum and hazardous substances and were damaged by Hurricane Helene. The program provides temporary financial assistance for emergency services until owners receive federal disaster relief funds or insurance reimbursements. Loans are interest-free and mature upon the earlier of receiving federal disaster relief or other funding, or by June 30, 2030. As of November, DEQ had received 11 loan agreements for more than $1.2 million.
   
• DEQ received an EPA grant (with state matching funds) totaling more than $15.8 million to assess and cleanup spills of petroleum from USTs damage by Hurricane Helene. The grant will run through March 31, 2030, and can be extended an additional two years.  The UST section has identified more than 15 sites that may be eligible for funding. Assessment or corrective action is underway at nine facilities. Evaluation of additional sites is ongoing.
   
• The Division’s Solid Waste Section approved 177 sites for temporary management of debris from Hurricane Helene. The section also worked with regional officials and residents to manage the debris.
   
• In the aftermath of Helene, the Asheville Regional Office assisted by the Winston Salem Regional Office conducted more than 400 dam safety inspections.
   
• The State Energy Office (SEO) launched a $5 million Clean Energy Microgrid Initiative to deploy small solar-powered microgrid systems in areas that lost power due to Hurricane Helene. As of December, five microgrid sites had been selected and materials were being purchased. 
   
• DEQ received the first federal funding for onsite decentralized wastewater to support Hurricane Helene recovery. The $22.5 million EPA award is currently open for applications through the Division of Water Infrastructure until March 2, 2026, and funds the replacement and repair of septic systems in a 39-county region of WNC.
   
• DEQ awarded a $10 million grant to MountainTrue, an Asheville based nonprofit, to clean up debris from 125 miles of streams. Funding from DEQ has allowed the organization to hire 79 workers, who removed an average 10,000 pounds of debris from Western NC waterways daily.

Investing in Communities and Building Resiliency  

• In 2025, the State Water Infrastructure Authority awarded more than $877 million in loans and grants to update and harden drinking water, wastewater and septic systems, limit chemical pollution (PFAS), replace lead pipes and assist towns damaged by Hurricane Helene while improving resiliency for future storms.
   
• The NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint program awarded $25.2 million to projects in 16 counties to build more resilient communities and protect lives, property and livelihoods across North Carolina. The program, through partnerships with agencies such as the NC Land and Water Fund, NC Emergency Management and the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, funded more than 73 projects valued at more than $78 million in total. The total investment from the Blueprint program for these initiatives amounted to over $34.4 million, demonstrating a highly efficient use of state resources where program dollars are working twice as hard through leveraged funding.
   
• In 2025, the Division of Mitigation Services (DMS), initiated 14 new mitigation projects that will permanently protect approximately 97 acres of wetlands along with nearly 20 miles of stream and 91 acres of riparian buffer. These projects represent an investment of approximately $59 million to restore and protect natural resources in North Carolina. DMS currently manages 206 active and ongoing mitigation projects.
   
• In 2025, DMS received mitigation credit releases valuing more than $40 million. In addition, 29 projects were closed out resulting in:
  • 16.2 miles of stream restored and protected
  • 174.2 acres of wetland restored and protected
  • 92.66 acres riparian buffer area restored and protected
  • 20.92 acres of Nitrogen and Phosphorous nutrient offset
     
• In 2025, DMS assisted 235 development projects by taking responsibility for 270 new mitigation requirements including:
  • 58,206.6 stream credits
  • 80.9 wetland credits
  • 1,367,513.8 riparian (streambank) buffer credits (equivalent to 31.39 acres)
  • 6,388.45 Nutrient Offset Nitrogen credits (equivalent to 2.8 acres)
  • 3,514.7 Nutrient Offset Phosphorus credits (equivalent to 24 acres) 
     
• DMS and Ecosystem Planning and Restoration completed hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for the existing and future conditions (after implementation of flood mitigation projects) of the Stoney Creek watershed. The Natural Infrastructure Flood Mitigation Program’s first pilot project, a stormwater wetland basin on the Wayne Community College campus in Goldsboro, was completed in December. Construction on a second natural infrastructure project in the Stoney Creek watershed should begin in early 2026.
   
• The State Energy Office’s Weatherization Assistance Program completed work in 1,380 households, including repairing or replacing 543 heating units and weatherizing 838 homes.
   
• SEO reached agreement with three weatherization agencies for a combined contract value of more than $33 million to begin delivery of weatherization services with Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in four of the seven program regions. 
   
• The $208 million Energy Saver North Carolina program Homeowners Managing Efficiency Savings (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs launched Jan. 16, 2025, which includes the Homeowners Managing Efficiency Savings (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) rebates.  
  • As of December, the program processed applications in 98 of the North Carolina’s 100 counties. Residents in Mecklenburg and Wake counties can apply beginning in January 2026.  
  • 2,600 North Carolinians completed an application.
  • Approximately $650,000 rebates paid.
  • An estimated 293,000 kilowatts annually saved.  
  • Households participating in the program will realize an estimated annual average savings of $945.
     
• SEO selected nine projects to receive $2.79 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. The projects will reduce energy usage and lower costs for local governments, state agencies and universities.   
   
• Seven subawardees were selected for nearly $20 million in funding to improve North Carolina’s electric grid: the City of Wilson, Duke Energy Carolinas, Fayetteville Public Works Commission, Four County Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), Surry Yadkin EMC, Tideland EMC and the City of Gastonia. The request for proposals for the next funding round of about $9.7 million will be released in 2026.
   
• The Utility Savings Initiative saved $159 million in avoided utility costs in fiscal 2024–25 and a cumulative $2.26 billion in avoided costs since fiscal 2002–03 by using efficiency improvements across state facilities.
   
• The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) awarded $1.91 million for new public electric vehicle chargers across North Carolina, filling gaps in the state’s charging network along highways and in rural communities. The projects will prevent more than 657 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere and will avoid 125 pounds of nitrogen oxide emissions and 1,191 pounds of volatile organic compound emissions. 
   
• DAQ awarded $1.14 million in grants for clean vehicle projects, including more than $270,000 for new all-electric vehicles. These awards are projected to eliminate 3,483 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 57 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions and 7,700 pounds of fine particle emissions.
   
• The Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) received $26 million in EPA funding in October for grants to local communities in western North Carolina to improve recycling operations damaged by Hurricane Helene and to conduct recycling and waste management workshops for disaster preparedness.    
   
• DEACS awarded $1.17 million (plus $1.11 million in matching funds) in recycling grant funding to 19 businesses and 15 local governments for projects that are expected to create 31 jobs and divert 25,000 tons of material from landfills annually.  
   
• DCM’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) awarded $6 million to 32 communities across coastal North Carolina. A total of $1.9 million was allocated to cover technical assistance in risk assessment and resilience planning, as well as incorporating resiliency into Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) Land Use Plans. Grants totaling more than $4 million were awarded to communities to support engineering, design and construction.  
   
• DCM’s Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront Access Program awarded more than $2.25 million in grants to support 10 projects that will expand and improve public access to North Carolina’s beaches and coastal waterways. The next round of funding for this program will be announced in January 2026.
   
• The US Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $1 million coastal wetlands grant to DCM for the purchase of The South End at Topsail Beach. This is the final portion of the total $8 million that was required for the conservation of this ecologically rich barrier island property. The South End consists of more than 100 biodiverse acres of salt marsh, maritime forest, dune and beach on a dynamic ocean inlet. The NC Coastal Land Trust will execute the purchase and transfer the property to DCM, which will maintain it as a public access area in cooperation with the town of Topsail Beach. 
   
• DCM received $227,833 in funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program, which provides funding to marinas and other boating facilities for outdoor recreation. The funding will allow staff to training opportunities.  
   
• The Division of Water Resources awarded more than $2.6 million in grants to support stream restoration, water-based recreation and water management projects across North Carolina. The total includes nearly $2.3 million awarded through two different grant cycles of the Water Resources Development Grant program state and local projects fund, and $350,880 to support two stream restoration projects on agricultural lands through a cost-sharing program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). 
   
• DWR awarded more than $9.39 million for five projects in coastal North Carolina for beach and dune renourishment.  There were five projects that received funding from the Coastal Storm Damage Mitigation Fund, which is funded by the N.C. General Assembly through Session Law 2023-134 for costs associated with beach nourishment, artificial dunes and other projects to mitigate or remediate coastal storm damage to the ocean beaches and dune systems of the state. 
   
• DWR awarded more than $5.8 million in grants in funding from the Flood Resiliency Blueprint to support projects that provide flood reduction or flood resiliency benefits across the following six river basins across North Carolina: Cape Fear, French Broad, Lumber, Neuse, Tar Pamlico & White Oak basins. The grants were awarded to 10 local governments through a one-time appropriation of flood resiliency funding received through the NC Flood Resiliency Blueprint administered through the Water Resources Development Grant program state and local projects program.
   
• The State Resilience Office (SRO) joined DEQ in July to support resilience-building statewide. The SRO, previously at the N.C. Department of Public Safety, supports local governments and their partners to plan for and invest in resilience initiatives. The SRO also manages the NC Resilience Exchange, an online toolbox of resilience resources and staffs the Interagency Resilience Team, a partnership of state agencies working to promote resilience efforts across state government.   
   
• SRO, in partnership with the State Climate Office, kicked off its second Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort Program. Nine local governments from the coast to the mountains participated in the program with the goal of developing a local heat action plan. Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related impact. 
   
• In January, SRO published the NC Resilient Communities Planning Guide to help local leaders, especially local governments, plan for a more resilient future in their communities. This two-volume tool guides users through the process of understanding their vulnerabilities and developing a project plan to address them.
   
• The Blueprint Tool, posted in April, serves as a resource for communities, local governments and partners by providing accurate, data-driven flood-risk and vulnerability assessments. 
   
• The Blueprint released its first progress report in March.
   
• The NCGS brought in record external funding this year with 11 grant projects totaling more than $2 million.  The projects cover an array of topics from foundational geologic mapping needs to critical minerals and rare earth element studies to data preservation.  

Protecting North Carolinians from Forever Chemicals

DEQ continues to lead on addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in North Carolina, guided by the Action Strategy for PFAS. DEQ continues to work on limiting PFAS discharges to the environment, protecting public health and addressing remediation efforts to clean up existing PFAS contamination. The Division of Waste Management (DWM) continues to direct Chemours Co. Fayetteville Works plant to sample private wells and provide alternate water as warranted based on results. DEQ has also required Chemours to expand sampling to an area that now encompasses 10 counties.

• The Bernard Allen Memorial Emergency Drinking Water Fund, administered by DWM, continues to notify persons whose private wells are at risk of PFAS contamination, test private wells for PFAS and provide alternate drinking water to owners of wells contaminated by PFAS. The program sampled 414 private wells for PFAS and provided drinking water to 113 residences in the past fiscal year. Requests for sampling of private wells continue to increase.  
   
• DEQ required Chemours to expand well testing in the lower Cape Fear region under its consent order, expanding eligibility to 14,000 additional residences. 
   
• The Environmental Management Commission adopted groundwater standards for three types of PFAS: PFOS, PFOA and GenX.
   
• DWM’s Solid Water Section has required all permitted sanitary landfills to sample their facilities’ groundwater monitoring networks for PFAS and has directed facilities to update receptor surveys and sample private wells and provide alternate water when applicable. The majority of DWM programs are directing drycleaning facilities, pre-regulatory landfills, permitted hazardous waste facilities and inactive hazardous facilities to evaluate PFAS effects and where applicable direct these facilities to complete updated private-well receptor surveys and provide alternate water where applicable.  
   
• DEQ’s Division of Water Resources worked with Sampson County Disposal LLC to develop a special order of consent that requires SCD to begin testing groundwater and water runoff from the Sampson County Landfill for PFAS and to install an advanced groundwater treatment system. Sampson County Landfill is the first landfill with a proposed direct discharge that will install an advanced treatment system designed for PFAS removal.
   
• DWR’s Public Water Supply Section staff coordinated with DWI to hire a contractor to develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan that has been submitted to EPA for approval. The plan will allow Federal Emerging Contaminants Small and Disadvantaged Community Grant funds to be used by DWM and the PWS Section to collect hundreds of samples to test for PFAS in drinking water and provide technical assistance to affected communities.
   
• DWR’s Groundwater Resources Branch completed its initial round of statewide groundwater PFAS sampling of a statewide network of groundwater monitoring wells. DWR has incorporated additional follow-up PFAS sampling into the branch's routine sampling process. 
   
• DWR, at the request of the Environmental Management Commission, developed proposed rules that would establish industrial users discharging wastewater at publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities (POTWs) and direct dischargers to perform for one year baseline monitoring for three PFAS compounds: PFOS, PFOA and GenX. Dischargers that have results greater than the lowest reported level would be required to continue sampling and develop a plan to reduce or eliminate the PFAS compounds. POTWs will submit to DWR annual reports on the activities of significant industrial users. Industries will continue water sampling and following plans until the three PFAS compounds cannot be detected in wastewater discharge.  
   
• At the request of the Environmental Management Commission, DWR developed proposed rules to minimize 1,4-dioxane, which the EPA has identified as a likely carcinogen. The rules would require large industrial users discharging wastewater for treatment at POTWs and direct dischargers that likely have 1,4-dioxane in their wastewater perform baseline monitoring for the compound for one year. Dischargers showing sampling results greater than the lowest reported level would be required to continue sampling and develop a plan to reduce or eliminate 1,4-dioxane. Industrial practices will be summarized, and POTWs will submit annual reports to DWR. Industries will continue water sampling until the compound cannot be detected in wastewater discharge.  

Additional accomplishments

• DAQ released an update to the Air Quality Trends in North Carolina report, showing a continued trend of declining air pollution emissions and improved air quality. In August, North Carolina celebrated being in compliance with every federal health-based air quality standard for 10 consecutive years, which benefits public health and the economy. Among the 20 most populous states in the U.S., North Carolina has the longest running streak of being in statewide attainment with the standards.
   
• For the second time in its history, DAQ recorded no exceedances of the ozone air quality standard during the year. 
   
• DAQ upgraded the Air Quality Portal’s public mapping tool, the Ambient Information Reporter. Improvements include a new Air Quality Index layer, measuring fine particulate data and a better display of surface visibility data. 
   
• DWM’s Brownfields Redevelopment Section celebrated the 750th Brownfields Agreement at a site known as Brown School, which has been transformed into an affordable housing community called the Brown School Lofts at Legacy Heights.
   
• DEQ’s environmental education program hosted 30 livestreamed talks with top researchers and educators in partnership with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences that reached more than 7,000 viewers this year. The talks are broadcast on YouTube and shared with schools, universities and colleges, state agencies and the public.  
   
• In 2025, 46 educators achieved the NC Environmental Education Certification, a nationally recognized professional credential managed by the DEQ in partnership with various state agencies. The program saw strong growth with 92 new enrollments, with both classroom teachers and nonformal educators pursuing their certification. To earn the certification, participants must commit to 200 hours of professional development, community leadership and instruction.
   
• The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program team submitted to EPA its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), which details 14 measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and presents ways to reduce statewide emissions by 50% by 2030 from the 2005 baseline, and attain net-zero by 2050.
   
• The Department submitted an updated NC Energy Security Plan to the Department of Energy that included new sections on critical infrastructure and cross-sector dependencies, emergency preparedness and response, energy sector threats and impacts, a risk assessment, and risk mitigation and coordination.
   
• The NC Geological Survey digitized about 500 geophysical well logs and created an online viewing tool, allowing for easier and deeper analyses without specialized software.
   
• The NC Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) Study and Evaluation Tool was completed in association with Applied Weather Associates in May. The PMP replaces outdated values provided in hydrometeorological reports. The study relies on the most current practices for defining PMP, including comprehensive storm analyses procedures, extensive use of geographical information systems, explicit quantification of topography and coastal effects, updated maximum dew point and sea surface temperature climatology for storm adjustments, and improved understanding of weather and climate related to extreme rainfall in the region.
   
• Nearly 40 experts attended two workshops held by the Coastal Reserves program to develop habitat resilience plans for the Masonboro Island and Zeke’s Island reserves.  Attendees addressed habitat vulnerability and risk, research, monitoring and solutions. The Masonboro Island Reserve workshop yielded a list of 41 research and monitoring needs to foster future resilience at the site. Products from the Zeke's island Reserve workshop are under development.  
   
• DCM’s Local Permit Officer Program held a two-day workshop in May for 60-plus officers in central and southern sites and in October for Northern/Northeastern officers. The workshops included field trips to Manteo and Swansboro and included presentations by Division staff and other state and federal agencies representatives, rule updates, hands-on training in the field and dialogue/discussions with questions and answer sessions.  
   
• DCM celebrated the 40th anniversary of the state’s National Estuarine Research Reserve, designated by the state and NOAA to protect special places in the state, including the Currituck Banks, Rachel Carson, Masonboro Island and Zeke’s Island Reserves. This designation inspired the state to later create the umbrella N.C. Coastal Reserve, which is authorized by the N.C. Coastal Area Management Act.
• Across all reserve sites, the total value of DEQ’s volunteer program was $38,374.13. (1,340.75 reported volunteer hours valued at $33.01/hour.) 500-plus pounds of marine debris removed by volunteers.
   
• DMF, in cooperation with the NC Department of Information Technology and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, put into effect Dec. 1 new harvest reporting requirements for recreational and commercial fishermen. 
   
• DMF’s Observer Program launched in February the automated Observer Trip Scheduling System, which schedules observer trips for Estuarine Gill Net Permit holders. The Division worked with the N.C. Department of Information Technology and volunteer commercial fishermen to develop the system, which is a requirement of North Carolina’s Endangered Species Act Section 10 Incidental Take Permit.
   
• DMF completed and implemented four fishery management plans — for Spotted Seatrout, Eastern Oyster, Hard Clam and Southern Flounder — that were adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.
   
• The Artificial Reef Program finalized its five-year timeline for ocean reef enhancements, funded by Coastal Recreational Fishing License revenue. The Artificial Reef Program plans to complete one project per year, for a total of five projects, one in each coastal region.  
   
• The Utility Scale Solar Decommissioning Program rules went live Aug. 1 and allows project owners to create an online account to register utility-scale solar projects, upload decommissioning plans and financial assurance mechanism documents, pay registration fees and update project. 
   
• DWR protects water quality in North Carolina by processing permits, certifications and conducting inspections for facilities that discharge wastewater. DWR staff responded to resident complaints and investigated wetland and streambank vegetation to ensure compliance with state law. Regional staff:  
  • Inspected 707 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted facilities, 100 sanitary sewer collection systems, 583 non-discharge wastewater treatment facilities and 1,872 animal feeding operations.  
  • Responded to 1,609 individual incidents and complaints.
  • Completed 1,025 stream determinations and 967 wetland/buffer inspections and investigations.
  • Performed, with support from the Public Water Supply Section, approximately 5,400 site visits, including 1,835 sanitary surveys.
  • DWR’s 401 water quality certification program, which assesses and regulates water quality construction damage to streams, streambanks and wetlands, issued 2,534 certifications. The program’s average processing time for the certifications was 29 days, less than half the program’s goal of 60 days.  
     
• DWR’s Public Water Supply Section Plan Review Unit reviewed 93% of 1,553 drinking water infrastructure engineering projects as of Dec. 12 for compliance with public water system state rules.
   
• DWR launched a tool to display the results of freshwater sampling conducted through the WNC Recreational Water Quality Monitoring program to help the public identify locations where E. coli levels are above or below recreational guidance values in three river basins.
   
• Between Nov. 24, 2024, and Oct. 25, 2025, DWR’s Water Sciences Section laboratories reported 150,769 compound results.
   
• As of Nov. 20, DWR’s Algae Lab resolved 332 reports received on the Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Dashboard, an interactive tracking tool.  
   
• DWR completed 2,847 water quality sampling visits through the Ambient Monitoring System, and 351 visits through the Random Ambient Monitoring System. These two programs provide key data to track water quality across the state.
   
• DWR’s Water Sciences Biological Assessment Branch, which evaluates the water quality of rivers and streams by assessing aquatic life, sampled 154 sites.