NRCS-PA Conducting Rapid Flood Disaster Recovery Needs Survey In Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties; Responses Due Oct. 7

On September 14, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist Denise Coleman announced her office is conducting a rapid survey in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties to determine if the impacts of flooding from the September 9, 2023 storm event has caused a watershed impairment and has left property owners at risk. 

The survey results will be used to determine if properties could be eligible for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. EWP is a recovery program aimed at relieving imminent hazards to life and property as a result of a significant flooding event. 

Eligible sites must have a home (permanent residence) or business located within 50’ of a stream, and have experienced severe streambank damage. 

Public utilities are eligible if the streambank damage is within 10’ of the utility. Examples include several feet or more of bank loss, exposed foundations, or the total failure of existing streambank structures. 

Detached garages and sheds that are not utilized as a permanent residence are not eligible. 

Damage to homes and businesses caused by high flood water is also not eligible for assistance. Repairing, rebuilding, or maintaining public or private transportation facilities is not eligible. 

Typical streambank restoration projects funded under EWP include protecting eroded stream banks, reseeding damaged areas on eligible sites as specified above, and in some cases, home buyouts, or purchasing floodplain easements on eligible land. 

Maintenance and repair of existing structures along a waterway are not eligible for funding.

Property owners who have been impacted by the storm event noted and feel the resulting damages would meet the eligibility requirements listed above, should compete an EWP Rapid Survey. 

Click Here for the survey, and additional PA-NRCS EWP information.

Please contact your local NRCS office, for assistance completing the survey and for additional information about the program. 

Surveys will be accepted until October 7, 2023.

Survey results will be assessed, and eligible property owners will be notified if the EWP Program is made available in their county. Correspondence will include additional program information and next steps. 

Program availability is not guaranteed.

The EWP Program allows NRCS to make grant funding available (75 percent of the construction funds) to local units of governments (considered the project Sponsor) to help recovery efforts in their communities. 

Program policy does not allow NRCS to directly contract with individual landowners. Refer to the PA EWP website for additional information, including a detailed EWP Sponsor Guide.  

Visit the NRCS-PA webpage for more information on conservation assistance available to landowners in Pennsylvania.

NewsClips:

-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County, Scranton Declare Emergencies Following Destructive Storms

-- Scranton Times: Flash Flood Sweeps Away ‘The Love Of My Life’ 

-- Scranton Times: Tallying Flood Damage In Lackawanna County As Recovery Continues

-- Citizens Voice: Flash Flood Interrupts Wedding In Luzerne County

-- PA Capital-Star: ‘Resources Are Going To Be Spread Thin:’ NE PA Rallies After Weekend Storms

-- Scranton Times: PEMA Opens Web Link For Residents, Businesses To Report Storm Damage In NE PA

-- Scranton Times: Scranton Eyes Request For Federal Flood Victim Buyout As Recover Continues

-- Citizens Voice: Flood Clean Up Continues In Luzerne County

Related Article:

-- NRCS-PA Invites Applications For $65 Million For Conservation & Climate Action On Private Lands Grants  [PaEN] 

[Posted: September 14, 2023]  PA Environment Digest