Title 390 – Emergency Watershed Protection Program Manual

Part 511– Program Administration

Subpart B – Assistance

511.10 Requests for Assistance

A. Application
Project sponsors seeking Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program assistance
must apply (see part 515, subpart F, section 515.50 in this manual) to the State
Conservationist (STC) in writing (see part 511, subpart A, section 511.7D of this manual
for exigency procedures). Project sponsors may use Standard Form (SF) 424,
“Application for Federal Assistance,” but must ensure that following information is
provided:
(i) A description of the problems encountered and the assistance needed, including the
following:
• Nature of the problem
• Location
• Scope of the problem
(ii) Commitment by the project sponsor to assume the following responsibilities:
• Provide local cost share
• Land rights acquisition
• Permits
• Operation and maintenance (O&M), if required
(iii) A statement indicating funds have either been exhausted or insufficient to provide
adequate recovery measures from the applicable hazards.
(iv) A statement identifying other State or Federal funding received or application
submitted.
Note: Detailed information is not required at the time of the initial request (see Part 515,
Subpart F, “Sample Letters,” in this manual).
B. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
The CFDA number for the EWP Program is 10.923. The CFDA number should be used
by sponsors, as needed, for auditing and reporting purposes.
C. Time Limits
(1) Project sponsors must submit a request for assistance within 60 days following the
date of the natural occurrence that caused the watershed impairment, or 60 days from
the date when access to the site becomes available (see Section 511.7, “Exigent
Situations”).
(2) Waivers to this requirement may be requested by the STC for consideration by the
Deputy Chief for Science and Technology (S&T) when unusual situations exist.
Include the rationale and supporting documentation for each request (see part 510,
subpart A, section 510.4, of this manual).

511.11 Requesting Funds

A. The STC or designee must make a request for funding EWP measures to the EWP
national program manager within 60 days of the sponsor’s request for assistance. Requests

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must be submitted using the “Request for Establishment of a EWP Drawing Account”
worksheet found in part 515, subpart C, section 515.20C of this manual. As a minimum, this
worksheet must be accompanied by a copy of the completed damage survey report (DSR) and
Form NRCS-CPA-52, “Environmental Evaluation Worksheet,” with photographs showing
the damages as supporting documentation. Photographs must be of sufficient quality and
detail to clearly show the damages at the site and any potential impacts upstream and
downstream of the site.
B. Due to the seriousness of exigent situations and the need to immediately alleviate the
threat, request for funds may be made based on the STC’s estimate or a completed DSR and
NRCS-CPA-52. Exigency funding will be sent at 100 percent of the financial assistance (FA)
request and 100 percent of the technical assistance (TA) request to facilitate the recovery
work. The STC may begin expenditure of exigency funds upon notification that funds are in
the Foundation Financial Information System (FFIS) or written notification from the Deputy
Chief for S&T.
C. Expenditure of funds for 220-day emergency projects will be subject to availability of
funds in a drawing account. The STC may begin expenditure of funds upon notification that
funds are in FFIS (see part 510, subpart A, section 510.3A(3) of this manual).

511.12 Establishment of a Drawing Account

A drawing account must be established for each event when funding is available. (Exigencies
are not subject to a drawing account.) (see part 515, subpart C, section 515.20D of this
manual.)
(1) When funding is available, the Conservation Engineering Division (CED) will
establish a drawing account for the event and 100 percent of the FA will be allocated
to the STC. A percentage of TA funding, usually 50 percent, will be allocated with
the FA to complete DSRs and associated NRCS-CPA-52s, facilitate project design,
and initiate contracts. The balance of the TA will remain in the State’s drawing
account.
(2) The STC may request the remaining TA from the State’s drawing account, as needed
to implement the EWP Program. The request will be accompanied with appropriate
documentation for the TA need. To expedite the TA allocation process, all requests
should be made by email or fax to the national EWP Program manager.

511.13 Fund Allocation and Usage

A. General
(1) The Director, CED, is responsible for all fund allocations associated with EWP
recovery activities, including FA and TA.
(2) TA for States performing initial disaster damage assessments and preparing damage
survey reports will be charged to conservation technical assistance funds until EWP
funds are made available.
B. Availability
(1) Funds are considered available to the STC when written notification is received from
National Headquarters (see part 510, subpart A, section 510.3A(3) of this manual).
(2) Unused funds remaining after the specific timeframes (220 days for emergencies and
10 days for exigencies) will be returned to the national EWP Program manager’s

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account, unless a time extension is granted in accordance with part 512, subpart B,
section 512.13B of this manual.
(3) Projects that are not immediately funded will be placed on the national EWP wait
list. The STC will review projects on the wait list at least quarterly to determine if
the projects are still valid, and if funding is still needed. The STC will provide, in
writing, to the national EWP program manager changes in the project status and
revised funding needs (see part 512, subpart B, section 512.14D of this manual).
C. Recovery Work
(1) Financial assistance may only be used to fund the cost of construction of the recovery
measures (see 7 CFR Section 624.7) in accordance with part 511, subpart A, section
511.6 of this manual.
(2) TA funds must not exceed 20 percent. The 20 percent is calculated based upon 75
percent of construction costs (i.e., 90 percent in limited-resource areas would only
receive 20 percent based upon 75 percent of the construction costs) for EWP
recovery measures. TA funds may be used in accordance with section 511.6F and as
follows:
(i) Salaries of NRCS employees related to the EWP activities
(ii) Travel
(iii) Overtime
(iv) Services
 Planning
 Design
 Geotechnical and testing, etc.
 Inspection
 Administration and contracting activities
 Cultural resource investigation and evaluation surveys and assessments
 Develop endangered species biological assessments
(v) Equipment and supplies
(vi) Renting temporary office space (emergency operations center)
(vii) Hiring part-time and non-USDA temporary staff
(3) Section 511.6F of this manual specifies what types of technical services are
reimbursable to project sponsors using TA funds.

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