WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2004–- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that an additional $1 million will be provided to help hurricane recovery efforts in Florida.

    "This funding helps to support President Bush's directive to USDA to use existing authorities and resources to assist communities and individuals impacted by recent hurricanes in their cleanup efforts," said Veneman.

   On August 27, President Bush instructed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use existing authorities and resources to assist growers impacted by Hurricane Charley in their cleanup efforts and to compensate them for lost crops and trees. USDA is working with the President's directive and the USDA Farm Service Agency is working to deliver additional assistance in a timely manner.

   The environmental restoration funds announced today are being made available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP). The funds will help restore critical agricultural and community infrastructure disrupted by flooding, severe streambank erosion and debris deposits.

   Rehabilitation efforts will provide sound erosion control measures that are economically and environmentally defensible. EWP measures include debris removal from stream channels and reshaping and protecting eroded streambanks. This funding brings the total to $1.6 million for emergency environmental restoration work in Florida areas hit by Hurricanes Charley and Frances.

   USDA continues to provide existing program assistance to hurricane victims including emergency loan assistance, the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, expedited claims assistance for crops and commodities covered by crop insurance, food commodities and other nutritional assistance, including $5 million in special funds provided for baby food and formula, more than $23.7 million dollars in replacement Food Stamp benefits issued to 135,000 families and housing assistance for families displaced from USDA-sponsored housing, which is especially significant among farm-worker populations.

   Communities interested in applying for EWP assistance should contact the local NRCS office or USDA Service Center.

   Information on EWP-Hurricane Charley and Frances recovery efforts in Florida can be found on the Web at http://www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/hurricane1.html and on EWP at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EWP.