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County reports millions of cubic yards removed; private-property cleanups nearly complete
Summary
Buncombe County staff reported progress toward finishing federal debris missions: more than 1.5 million cubic yards removed from rights-of-way, roughly 1.6 million from waterways, and about 170,000 cubic yards from private properties covering roughly 4,809 parcels; demolition work is underway on dozens of structures.
Buncombe County officials told commissioners on Sept. 16 that debris-removal missions tied to Tropical Storm Helene are approaching completion but that some private-property work and demolitions remain under way.
"We saw over 1,500,000 cubic yards removed from our right aways in Buncombe," said Dane, the county—s Solid Waste Director, in a briefing summarizing direct federal assistance missions. He said waterway debris removal had removed about 1,600,000 cubic yards and that private-property debris removal had cleared more than 170,000 cubic yards across roughly 4,809 parcels.
Staff said FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are re-inspecting private-property debris removal (PPDR) parcels to confirm eligible hazards were addressed; county staff estimated the PPDR work is about 99% complete but noted a small number of cases remain under review. The county also reported that initial demolition work is underway: the first 23 demolition projects have been completed, and 10 additional projects had been scoped and were starting.
Commissioners asked about referrals to nonprofit cleanup partners. Dane said organizations such as MountainTrue can assist with smaller-scale stream and debris cleanups, but county staff cautioned that nonprofit-led efforts may lack the heavy equipment used by larger federal/state contractor teams.
Why it matters: Debris removal is a critical step toward rebuilding and restoring safe access for residents. County staff indicated most right-of-way and waterway missions are complete, but a small number of private-property and demolition items will continue into the near term.
What to watch: FEMA and Army Corps inspections of private-property clearances and the progress of the additional demolition projects. County staff said they would answer individual questions from commissioners and continue to update the board.
