SPOKANE, Wash. (March 11, 2009) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide up to $145 million to eligible landowners nationwide through the floodplain easement component of its Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week. The funds will be used to restore an estimated 60,000 acres of frequently flooded land to its natural condition and create jobs. 

Vilsack announced that eligible landowners can sign up for these easements from March 9 until April 10, 2009 at their local USDA Service Center.  

Funding for the floodplain easements comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The effort will create jobs in the engineering, biology and construction fields when landowners establish conservation practices on the land entered into easements. 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. 

Through the program, landowners have the option to voluntarily set aside and restore frequently flooded lands through permanent easements with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  

To be eligible for an easement, the land must be privately owned or owned by state or local units of government. In addition, the site will also have been damaged by flooding at least twice in the last 10 years or once in the last 12 months in order to qualify for the program. 

Interested landowners must submit an application to NRCS. Applications will be evaluated and ranked for funding on a state-by-state basis. Because applications could exceed available funding, they will be ranked for enrollment based on established priorities. In Washington state, NRCS will primarily utilize national ranking priority with the addition of a state priority for easements where restoration activity will be implemented through landowner agreements as opposed to federal contracts. 

Landowners who decide to enter into floodplain easements agree to limit future uses of the land and work with NRCS to restore and enhance floodplain functions and values. EWP floodplain easements are permanent and will remain forever tied to the deed, regardless of who owns the land in the future.  

With EWP floodplain easements, participating landowners retain ownership, control public access, and may continue to use the land for undeveloped recreational purposes, such as quiet enjoyment, hunting and fishing. Participating landowners may also request authorization to engage in other activities that further the protection and enhancement of the easement area. 

The restored floodplains will generate many public benefits, such as increased flood protection, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and a reduced need for future public disaster assistance. Other benefits include reduced energy consumption when certain agricultural activities and practices are eliminated and increased carbon sequestration as permanent vegetative cover is re-established. 

Interested landowners should contact their local USDA Service Center for more information about EWP floodplain easements. For more information, about EWP, please visit:  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ewp/Floodplain/index.html.

316 W. Boone, Suite 450
Spokane, WA 99201
509-323-2900

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