Press Releases

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded Friends of Southwest Virginia a $1,300,000 grant. The funding will support an assessment of damage to outdoor recreation assets resulting from Hurricane Helene. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“This ARC grant for $1,300,000 helps Friends of Southwest Virginia hire an engineering firm to conduct a thorough assessment of Helene-related damages to outdoor recreation assets in Southwest Virginia.”

BACKGROUND

Major assets included in this review are the Virginia Creeper Trail, Clinch and New River boat ramps and access points, and multiple other trailheads, bridges, trestles, campgrounds and parks.

In late September, the Ninth District faced one of the most catastrophic natural events in recent memory. Storm conditions from Hurricane Helene battered Southwest and Southside Virginia, destroying houses and causing thousands of people to lose power. Rainfall exceeded 12 inches in some areas and with the water from North Carolina flowing north, it created an historic flood crest on the New River, from Grayson to Giles at the West Virginia border.

Immediately, Rep. Griffith began surveying and assessing storm damage in Helene’s aftermath. On the day after the storm, Rep. Griffith traveled to Damascus in Washington County, along with Governor Youngkin, to thank our first responders and to get a first-hand look at the damage there. Immediately following that, Rep. Griffith went to Independence in Grayson County to assess damage.

Over the course of the next few days and weeks, Rep. Griffith made additional visits to Independence, Fries, Radford, Giles County, Montgomery County, Pulaski County, Lee County and Russell County, among others.

Rep. Griffith penned a letter, alongside U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, supporting Governor Youngkin’s request for President Biden to approve Virginia’s Federal Emergency Declaration. After President Biden’s approval, the two U.S. Senators and Rep. Griffith moved by writing President Biden, requesting his support of Governor Youngkin’s expedited Major Disaster Declaration. This attempt was also successful.

Nearly every locality in Virginia’s Ninth District has been approved for either individual assistance or public assistance. Rep. Griffith visited the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center and met with National FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who provided updates on recovery efforts throughout Southwest Virginia.

Two bills, of which Rep. Griffith is an original co-sponsor, have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act will cut bureaucratic red tape and expedite the mobilization of disaster recovery resources to an area affected by a “major disaster” as declared by the President of the United States.

The Helene Recovery Support Act will authorize the delivery of $15 billion to provide additional resources for disaster relief and help small businesses in their recovery efforts.

Rep. Griffith joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) send an immediate supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support communities that were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Further, Rep. Griffith looks forward to supporting a supplemental disaster relief bill when it comes to the House floor.

###