Emergency Watershed Protection Program

{{Short description|Program administered by the US Natural Resources Conservation Service}}

The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program is a program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to respond to floods, fires,{{cite web | last=Bennett | first=Matthew | title=Glenwood finishes emergency watershed protection project | website=Aspen Daily News | date=1970-01-01 | url=https://www.aspendailynews.com/news/glenwood-finishes-emergency-watershed-protection-project/article_e13e5b7c-bf60-11eb-adac-dbe1b1fce2aa.html}} windstorms and other types of natural disasters. Types of work this program funds include: removing debris; reshaping and protecting eroded banks; correcting damaged drainage facilities; repairing levees and other water conveyance structures; and purchasing flood plain easements.{{cite web | title=Fees kick in for New Hanover County's Stormwater Services program, but at a discount | website=WHQR | date=2021-06-14 | url=https://www.whqr.org/local/2021-06-14/fees-kick-in-for-new-hanover-countys-stormwater-services-program-but-at-a-discount }} For construction activities, it provides up to 75% of the project cost. It is almost always funded in supplemental appropriations that provide federal assistance to deal with a natural disaster. The EWP's activities are sponsored by a city, county, town, conservation district, or any federally-recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization before EWP can come in with their expertise to assist a region that has experienced an emergency.{{cite web |title=Webinar - EWP in the Caribbean Area (1/2019) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4zTD0Tafc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/er4zTD0Tafc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube |publisher=NRCS NSSC |access-date=20 June 2021}}{{cbignore}}

Over 430 sites in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands had to be immediately addressed by EWP after Hurricane Maria struck on September 20, 2017.{{cite web | title=USDA-NRCS to hold state technical committee meetings for Puerto Rico/USVI | website=News is My Business | date=2020-12-08 | url=https://newsismybusiness.com/usda-nrcs-to-hold-state-technical-committee-meetings-for-puerto-rico-usvi/ | access-date=2021-06-20}} While EWP normally funds 75% of project costs, President Donald Trump authorized EWP to cover 100% of the costs for debris removal and other watershed protection costs, from the time Hurricane Maria occurred through May, 2018.{{cite web | title=Otorgan fondos federales para reclutar personal de ley y orden | website=El Nuevo Día | date=2017-11-27 | url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/politica/notas/otorgan-fondos-federales-para-reclutar-personal-de-ley-y-orden/ | language=es | access-date=2021-06-20}}