The USDA Florida Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Deborah Tannenbaum, has announced that Bay, Liberty, Franklin, Gulf and Calhoun counties have received preliminary authorization for the implementation of the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP).
“FSA stands ready to help wildfire-impacted producers get back on their feet,” said Tannenbaum. “Once you are able to safely evaluate the impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local FSA office to timely report all damages and losses and find out about resources available to you.”
EFRP provides financial assistance for non-industrial private forestlands impacted by natural disaster. Additional counties can be added to this authorization if FSA county offices receive reports of loss from affected landowners.
Plus, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), available through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida, is also being offered to alleviate hazards to life and property caused by floods, hurricanes, fires, windstorms and other natural disasters.
“EWP provides immediate assistance to communities to mitigate potential hazards to life and property resulting from the fires and particularly the severe erosion and flooding that can occur after the fire,” said Juan Hernandez, state conservationist for NRCS in Florida. “We can work with a local sponsor to help a damaged watershed so that lives and property are protected while preventing further devastation in the community.”
Public and private landowners are eligible for assistance but must be represented by a project sponsor such as a city, county, conservation district or tribal government. Assistance includes financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized stream banks and establish cover on critically eroding lands, repair conservation practices, and purchase flood plain easements or eliminate adverse impacts from the natural disaster or to restore projects installed by another federal agency.
Wildfires span multiple counties and are in varying stages of containment. USDA will continue to monitor damage, evaluate loss and prepare to implement disaster programs.
For more information about these and other FSA and NRCS programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.