AN ACT to appropriate funds for the repair and reconstruction of short‑line railroads impacted by Hurricane helene.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  The State Controller shall transfer the sum of sixteen million three hundred ninety‑two thousand one hundred seventy‑six dollars ($16,392,176) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025‑2026 fiscal year from funds available in the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Reserve to the Department of Transportation's Rail Division (Division) for the Freight Rail & Rail Safety Improvement Fund (Rail Fund) established by G.S. 124‑5.1, and those funds are appropriated from the Rail Fund for the purposes set forth in subsection (b) of this section.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Division shall use the funds transferred and appropriated pursuant to this section to provide grants for recovery and repair of the following short‑line railroads damaged by Hurricane Helene:

(1)        Fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000) to the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, LLC, for line restoration.

(2)        Two million three hundred ninety‑two thousand one hundred seventy‑six dollars ($2,392,176) for track rehabilitation, facility repairs, and revenue loss to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, LLC.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2025.