USDA to Invest $84 Million to Help Communities in 13 States Recover from Natural Disasters
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Release No. 0047.15 |
Contact: |
Justin Fritscher 202-375-0871 |
USDA to Invest $84 Million to Help Communities in 13 States Recover from Natural Disasters |
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will invest an additional $84 million through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) to help disaster recovery efforts through more than 150 projects in 13 states. "This program helps communities carry out much needed recovery projects to address the damage to watersheds that is caused by floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters," Vilsack said. "USDA is committed to helping repair and rebuild the rural communities that anchor rural America and are a key part of our nation's economy." EWP provides critical resources to local sponsors to help communities eliminate imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, wind-storms and other natural occurrences. EWP is an emergency recovery program. The funds support a variety of recovery projects, including clearing debris-clogged waterways, stabilizing stream banks, fixing jeopardized water control structures and stabilizing soils after wildfires. Projects include:
NRCS will also fund projects in Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Vermont. For more information about funding amounts and descriptions by state, please visit the 2015 Projects of Emergency Watershed Protection Program website. EWP work must be sponsored by a public agency of the state, tribal, county or city government. NRCS provides 75 percent of the funds for the project; the public organization pays the remaining 25 percent. EWP allows NRCS to put its engineering expertise to work in a variety of places – both rural and urban. For more information on NRCS programs, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a local USDA service center. # USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users). |
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