North Carolina’s Tropical Storm Chantal Response Exposes Federal and State Aid Failures

Last month’s Tropical Storm Chantal unleashed catastrophic flooding across central North Carolina, dumping up to a foot of rain, shattering river records, and leaving communities submerged. Yet, as families grapple with ruined homes and disrupted utilities, the government response reveals troubling gaps in both state and federal disaster management. Governor Josh Stein’s recent issuance of a state disaster declaration for eight counties in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area barely scratches the surface of what is needed. While the declaration opens the door for limited state financial grants aimed at temporary assistance, this bureaucratic action comes weeks after emergency conditions forced hundreds...