Information for EWP Sponsors

Although not presently committed to Montana, Federal funds can provide up to 75 percent of the construction costs of emergency measures. The 25 percent non federal costs can be funds provided by state or local units of government that act as sponsors.

Who Can Be a Sponsor?

Units of Government with authority under state law to accept financial assistance can be sponsors. These include state government, local units of government such as counties or cities, tribes or tribal organizations or other government entities such as Conservation Districts. Sponsors' responsibilities include obtaining any required local, state, and federal permits or easements; providing the 25 percent non federal funds; and performing or acquiring from others any operation and maintenance needs for the project after the measures have been installed.

If you wish to request assistance under the EWP program and are willing to act as a sponsor, you will fill out an application requesting assistance from NRCS under the EWP program. The request for assistance would state the extent and type of work that needs to be accomplished. You would advertise the availability of the EWP program in your community and accept requests for assistance from landowners.

Steps to Initiate EWP Assistance When You Are the Sponsor

1. Contact your local NRCS Service Center.
2. Apply for EWP assistance as a local sponsor
3. Allow NRCS to investigate the site.
4. Allow NRCS to determine if the situation qualifies for EWP assistance.
5. Allow NRCS to request funding for the EWP project.
6. Expect notification of funding eligibility.
7. Allow NRCS to coordinate and plan the EWP project.
8. Help secure land right permits.
9. Provide for maintenance of completed emergency measures.

Measures that Are Eligible and Ineligible for Funding Under EWP

EWP funds can be used for:

1. Re-vegetation of burned areas
2. Temporary sediment control structures
3. Contour tree felling
4. Water bars
5. Contour sand bagging
6. Machine or hand raking scarification
7. Sediment basins
8. Hazardous tree felling
9. Drainage improvements or trash removal
10. Energy dissipaters
11. Sediment and debris removal from channels
12. Restoration of hydraulic capacity in channels
13. Streambank stabilization measures to protect cropland with irrigation structures
14. Streambank stabilization measures to protect houses and outbuildings outside of the 10-year frequency floodplain

EWP funds cannot be used to:

1. Perform operation or maintenance, or solve watershed problems that existed before the disaster
2. Repair, rebuild, or maintain public or private transportation facilities, or correct damage to transportation facilities eligible for assistance under the Emergency Relief Program administered by Federal Highway Administration of the Department of Transportation
3. Remove threats to Federal-aid highways except where the Federal-aid highway protection would be incidental to other eligible protection measures
4. Perform work on land and works of improvements owned by and/or managed by other federal departments and agencies (the only exception is national forest lands and national grazing lands)
5. Repair landscape for aesthetic purposes
6. Remove sediment or debris from reservoirs or debris basins. (this is considered operation and maintenance, regardless of ownership)
7. Repair levees
8. Increase the pre-disaster capacity of a channel
9. Drill or modify wells, construct pipelines, install irrigation equipment, or purchase portable equipment
10. Repair or rehabilitate conservation practices or measures that are eligible for funding under the Emergency Conservation Program administered by the Farm Service Agency

If you encounter any problems with the file provided on this page, please contact Steve Becker at 406-587-6828.

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Sample Letter Requesting EWP Assistance (PDF; 6 KB)