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MONTANA SIGN-UP FOR EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION (EWP) PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

March 9, 2009

For More Information:
Carrie Mosley, 406-587-6967
Sylvia Rainford, 202-720-2536

Bozeman--Eligible landowners in Montana may apply for participation in the floodplain easement component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Emergency Watershed Program. “We will be working with landowners who voluntarily agree to restore floodplains to their natural condition by placing their land into easements,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today. “These easements will convert environmentally sensitive lands into riparian corridors and wooded bottomlands that are so vital for fish and wildlife habitat and to mitigate downstream flooding.”

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Montana State Conservationist, Joyce Swartzendruber says the sign-up period in Montana begins immediately and runs through March 27, 2009. In Montana, eligible lands are those listed in all watersheds that meet the following criteria:

  • Must have been damaged by flooding at least twice in the previous 10 years or at least once in the last 12 months;
  • Must be other adjacent lands within the floodplain that are functionally dependent on eligible acres, or that would improve the practical management of the easement. These lands can match up to a one-to-one ratio;
  • Must be lands that would be inundated or adversely impacted as a result of a dam breach; and
  • Must be privately owned, or owned by state or local units of government. Federally owned lands are not eligible for enrollment.

The funding, obtained from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes both technical and financial assistance to restore easements. All funds are being spent on targeted projects that can be completed with economic stimulus monies. The goal is to have all floodplain easements acquired and restored within 12 to 18 months. No more than $30 million can be spent in any one state. The USDA will provide up to $145 million to restore an estimated 60,000 acres of frequently flooded land to its natural state and create jobs nationwide.

Eligible landowners interested in submitting applications can get additional information by contacting your local NRCS field office. For more information on the EWP Program easements, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ewp/Floodplain/index.html.

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