Federal assistance helps convert flood lands

WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that $19.7 million will be directed to Wisconsin under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The funding will help restore 4,040 acres of Wisconsin floodplains to their natural state.  

“These funds will improve habitat, water quality, flood prevention and conservation,” Kohl said. “That our state had so many successful applications is a testament to Wisconsin landowners and our conservation professionals. This is a significant boost to sustainability in Wisconsin.”

Of the states slated for floodplain easement resources under today’s announcement, Wisconsin stands second in funding and third in overall acres. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was given $145 million through the AARA to acquire floodplain easements and restore land. The department received over 4,200 applications for this competitively awarded funding. Nationwide, today’s announcement covered 289 applications covering more than 36,000 acres in 36 states.

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