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Alaska Emergency Watershed Protection Program for Wildfire Recovery Efforts
Background
On
Sept. 1, 2004, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that $500,000 will
be provided to the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alaska (NRCS) to
help wildfire recovery efforts in Alaska. The Funds are made available as part
of NRCS’ Emergency Watershed Protection program. How is the Natural Resources Conservation Service Helping?
State Conservationist Shirley Gammon and NRCS staff are visiting fire-ravaged
sites to determine the extent of damage and evaluate risks to watersheds, water
supplies and communities from the products of the fire. While excessive smoke
and continuing fires are making work difficult, damage assessments are on-going. When
potential projects are identified, staffs work with sponsors to prepare damage
survey reports (DSR’s) as the first step in providing EWP assistance. As DSR’s
are completed, they will be prioritized for possible funding.
Who
is Eligible for Help?
Landowners who have experienced severe property damage due to wildfires or whose
property is at-risk for sediment, erosion and flooding may be eligible for
assistance. All projects must have a governmental sponsor, such as a city,
county or water district, and the program is intended to help groups of people,
not individuals. All EWP work must reduce threats to life and property.
Who is an Eligible EWP Project Sponsor?
The
sponsor must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a state or legal subdivision of a state government, a local unit
of government, or a qualified Alaska Native/Native American tribe or tribal organization;
- Must be able and willing to obtain
needed land rights, water rights, and permits;
- Must supply the required cost-share
(25%) or in-kind services for needed work;
- Must agree to provide for the
long-term operation and maintenance of emergency measures when completed.
About
the Emergency Watershed Protection Program
The
purpose of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program is to undertake
emergency measures, including the purchase of flood plain easements, for runoff
retardation and soil erosion prevention to safeguard lives and property from
floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire,
flood or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden
impairment of the watershed.
It is not
necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for
assistance. Program objective is to assist sponsors and individuals in
implementing emergency measures to relieve imminent hazards to life and property
created by a natural disaster. Activities include providing financial and
technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized
streambanks, establish cover on critically eroding lands, repairing conservation
practices, and the purchase of flood plain easements. The program is designed
for installation of recovery measures.
About
NRCS
The
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the primary federal agency that
helps private landowners protect their natural resources. We are a team of
agronomists, biologists, economists, engineers, foresters, hydrologists, range
specialists, resource conservationists and soil scientists who work at the
community level to improve and conserve Alaska’s soil, air and water.
NRCS puts nearly 70 years of experience to work in assisting owners of America's
private land with conserving their soil, water, and other natural resources.
Local, state and federal agencies and policymakers also rely on our expertise.
We deliver technical assistance based on sound science and suited to a
customer's specific needs. Cost shares and financial incentives are available in
some cases. Participation in NRCS programs is voluntary. NRCS Mission
The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership
effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and
environment. Alaska Wildfire Recovery EWP Program Contact
Assistant State Conservationist--Programs 907-761-7757 Media Contact
Cassandra Stalzer 907-761-7749
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