Faster funding for emergency watershed protection and disaster cleanup costs.
This Act allows state and local governments and Indian Tribes to start emergency watershed protection measures immediately after a natural disaster, such as floods. It permits these entities to incur costs for cleanup and restoration (e.g., debris removal, stream bank repair) before signing a formal agreement with the federal government. This change aims to speed up disaster response, directly impacting citizens' safety and property protection.
Key points
Local authorities can begin emergency cleanup work immediately after a disaster, and these pre-agreement costs will count toward their required contribution to the federal project.
The Secretary of Agriculture must identify a list of eligible pre-agreement measures and establish a procedure for requesting additional measures.
Local sponsors assume the financial risk for any costs incurred if the federal government ultimately decides not to enter into an agreement.
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