Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Disaster Recovery Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Air board hears detailed Helene recovery update: demolitions, FEMA coordination, air curtain incinerators and biochar pilots
Summary
Agency staff reported heavy work on demolition permits tied to Hurricane Helene, coordination challenges with FEMA wet-ink signature requirements, increased complaint volume, and growing interest in air curtain incinerators and biochar units as alternatives to open burning.
Agency Director Ashley and staff gave a substantive update on Helene recovery operations, saying the office has focused on demolition permitting, air curtain incinerator oversight and coordination with FEMA and local governments.
Demolition permitting and FEMA process: Ashley described a large volume of demolition permits being handled in batches as FEMA and county programs mobilize contractors. She said staff have entered many permits directly into Exela because contractor-driven single entries would take longer; the office has had multiple staff working to catch up. Ashley estimated the office has processed roughly 85 permanent demolition applications to date, with several dozen more on deck and an overall county pool of structures (major damage/destroyed categories) that county spreadsheets show in the hundreds.
Federal-signature and contractor issues: Staff explained a recurring operational constraint: federal asbestos rules require wet-ink signatures for certain federal demolitions, and there has been back-and-forth among FEMA, county and contractors about who will sign and accept responsibility. That has delayed the ability to issue permits to contractors until FEMA awards contracts and signs responsibility over.
Air curtain incinerators, biochar and alternatives: Staff reported continued work permitting and monitoring air curtain incinerators used to manage storm debris. The agency is operating under temporary EPA regulatory relief for title permits until September, but Method 9-style emission observations will be required after six months of operation. Ashley and staff also described demonstrations of biochar-modified air curtain units; biochar offers a product (charcoal-like material promoted for soil amendment) and may present different permitting and air-quality considerations. The U.S. Forest Service has expressed interest in multiple units to manage large debris volumes; staff said one such unit is operating in neighboring Haywood County.
Complaints and outreach: The agency reported a roughly 50% increase in complaints tied to post-storm activities (open burning, dust, asphalt odors). County debris recovery teams meet weekly with the agency, and staff are participating in town-hall recovery events to inform residents about safe debris handling, open burning rules and monitoring efforts.
Ending: Staff said the agency is prioritizing permit processing and coordination so it can issue permits to FEMA contractors once contract and signature questions are resolved, and will continue outreach and enforcement around open burning and debris-related nuisances.
