USDA TO PROVIDE $166 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY WATERSHED WORK, FLOODPLAIN
  EASEMENTS
                                            Release No. 0214.97
                                                               
                                     Tom Amontree(202) 720-4623
                                          tom.amontree@uada.gov
                                      Diana Morse(202) 720-4772
                                                dmorse@usda.gov


USDA TO PROVIDE $166 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY WATERSHED WORK, FLOODPLAIN
  EASEMENTS

       LAKE TAHOE, Nev., June 30, 1997--The U.S.Department of Agriculture is
providing $166 million through its Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP)
Program in 26 states to repair damages from floods, tornadoes, hurricanes,
and other natural disasters, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced
today.
        
        "We're working with local communities to protect lives, property, and
natural resources," Glickman said.  "We'll begin using these funds this week." 

       Funding for this round of EWP projects was made available through the
disaster supplemental appropriations bill, signed into law by President
Clinton on June 12.   
       
       USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service administers the EWP
program.  The repair work done under the program includes technical and
financial assistance to relieve threats to life and property from floods and
erosion caused by natural disasters.  Funds are used primarily to contract
for work such as clearing debris-clogged waterways, restoring vegetation,
and stabilizing river banks.
       
       In addition, the EWP program will include a floodplain easement option
where the purchase of an easement would be cost-effective in comparison with
standard EWP repair work, and where landowners voluntarily agree to the
easement.  This new option is the result of amendments in the 1996 Farm
Bill.  
       The easements will provide for the permanent restoration and
enhancement of a natural floodplain as an alternative to traditional
attempts to restore damaged levees, lands, and structures.  Up to $15
million will be available for this purpose.  
       
       In addition to the easement monies, nearly $41 million will be used to
repair damages in eight states due to the March 1997 tornadoes and floods
which hit Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi,
Tennessee, and West Virginia.
       
       Nearly $20 million will be used to repair damages in Maryland, North
Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia due to Hurricane Fran which struck in
September 1996.
                                

       Nearly $51 million will be used to repair damage from New Year's
storms and January 1997 blizzards in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
Washington, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
       
       An additional $39 million will be used for other damages such as in
the Red River Valley in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, and other
spring 1997 storms in Mississippi, Utah, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Wyoming,
Colorado, and Texas.
       
       The EWP program may cover up to 75 percent of the construction costs
required to restore and re-establish the natural function of a watershed. 
The remaining 25 percent is paid by the community or local sponsors.
       
                                
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