To provide funding and technical assistance to complete new york's emergency watershed protection program-floodplain easements, (ewpp - FPE) in staten island

The Nature Conservancy received a $999,994 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program - Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (CFDA 10.927), awarded September 30, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2030. This award provides funding and technical assistance to implement New York's Emergency Watershed Protection Program-Floodplain Easements (EWPP-FPE) initiative in Staten Island, supporting recovery efforts from natural disaster impacts through floodplain protection measures.

The funding supports emergency recovery activities focused on runoff retardation and erosion prevention in the Staten Island area, consistent with NRCS's objective to relieve imminent hazards to life and property created by natural disasters. The five-year implementation period allows The Nature Conservancy to work collaboratively with NRCS to acquire and manage floodplain easements that will provide long-term protection against future flooding events while restoring ecological function in the watershed.