Saucon Valley Residents Eligible for Sandy Relief Program

Residents of Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township are eligible to apply for a federal relief program designed to help property owners who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy, according to information posted on the Lower Saucon Township website.

"USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing up to $124.8 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Program-Floodplain Easement (EWP-FPE) funding to help protect property in Pennsylvania and other states damaged by Hurricane Sandy," according to a flier posted on the site.

Northampton County residents are eligible to apply for the relief funds because it was one of 18 Pennsylvania counties where a major disaster was declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

"The EWP-FPE program complements traditional disaster recovery funding and allows NRCS to purchase a permanent easement on eligible lands within floodplains that sustained damage from Hurricane Sandy," the flier states. "For eligible sites, it must be determined that acquiring an easement, in lieu of recovery, is the more economical and prudent approach to reducing a threat to life and property."

The deadline to apply for funding is Sept. 2, 2013.

Those interested in applying for funding are advised to contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more about the program and submit an application prior to the deadline.