Hurricane Helene has already caused so much destruction–let’s work together to ensure that our restoration efforts don’t further destroy our natural spaces. As  communities that were impacted by the storm continue to rebuild, it is critical that the protection of our natural resources remains a priority in these recovery efforts. 

Much work is being done to remove trash and debris from our waterways, which is a necessary task that will improve the health of our lakes, rivers, and streams. Additionally, the removal woody debris from around infrastructure is necessary to protect structures from future damage during a flood event. 

However, excessive clearing of living vegetation and woody debris that poses no threat to infrastructure can lead to detrimental impacts on our rivers and on the animals who live there.  To help preserve the vegetative buffers that provide crucial habitat and prevent erosion and sedimentation, FEMA has created these guidelines to help our region rebuild responsibly. 

The following is not permitted: 

• Removal of live and standing trees, even in cases where the leaning angle exceeds 15 degrees 
• Demolition of structures that are displaced or located in the waterway 
• Removal of sediment, soil, rocks, gravel, and boulders 
• Dredging of waterways 
• Relocating of waterways or moving existing channels (including moving the waterway back to its original path) 
• Rebuilding, regrading, or sloping of riverbanks 
• Placement of tire walls and/or tire bails for erosion and slope stability systems 

If you think these guidelines are not being followed, please email the FEMA Waterway Debris Taskforce (debris@ncdps.gov) and FEMA/USACE (fema-dr4827-nc@fema.dhs.gov) to report violations. In your email, please include the location, date/time, company contractor and any photos or videos you may have of your concern. 

To see what debris is eligible for removal, click here.

Let’s work together to protect our natural resources as we rebuild our communities!