Adam RollinsThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised its watershed program to make it easier for Alaska tribes and tribal organizations to receive financial support for associated initiatives.
Becoming a local sponsor through the Watershed Protections and Flood Prevention (WFPO) Program has been a long-standing barrier to communities being able to access project funding. Under the previous ruling, tribes and tribal organizations interested in becoming a project sponsor must have eminent domain authority, allowing them to repurpose private land for public use. Not all tribal entities have this authority, disqualifying them from participating in the program.
The updated WFPO Program rule has removed this hurdle by no longer requiring applicable tribes to have eminent domain authority. Now, approximately 30 tribes and tribal organizations have a path forward to undertake critical watershed projects.
Projects supported through the WFPO Program center around conserving local ecosystems and recovering from weather events. These initiatives typically implement conservation techniques and strategies to help:
- Prevent erosion.
- Restore infrastructure.
- Improve water and air quality.
- Increase water filtration.
- Enhance wildlife habitat.
- Enhance natural resource benefits.
Qualifying projects must focus on watersheds that are equal to or less than 250,000 acres, provide agricultural benefits that account for more than 20% of the project’s total benefits and have a local sponsor.
United States Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Strang, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
