[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 65 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4889-S4890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GREGG:
  S. 972. A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to improve the 
administration of the Lamprey River in the State of New Hampshire; to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.


             A BILL TO AMEND THE WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill to amend 
the

[[Page S4890]]

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This bill improves the administration of 
the Lamprey River in the State of New Hampshire by adding a twelve-mile 
segment to its Wild and Scenic Designation. In so doing, New Hampshire 
residents and visitors to my state will enjoy the many benefits 
associated with the Wild and Scenic River program, which is 
administered by the National Park Service.
  It has been four years since I proudly sponsored the designation of 
the Lamprey River in Lee, Durham and Newmarket, New Hampshire into the 
National Wild and Scenic River Program. I am greatly pleased to welcome 
the Town of Epping into the partnership, and I am honored to offer this 
bill which will make this possible.
  Contrary to concerns which are sometimes raised by other rivers' 
towns, Lee, Durham and Newmarket have told me that the Wild and Scenic 
program has stimulated a plethora of meaningful benefits to the Lamprey 
River and to the residents of the towns by which it flows. I applaud 
the extent to which this work has occurred through volunteer efforts 
and through monies solicited from towns, the State of New Hampshire and 
private foundations. As a result, groups like the Lamprey River 
Advisory Committee have been able to leverage a relatively small 
federal investment into substantial benefits.
  Within the past month, the Board of Selectmen from the Town of 
Epping, New Hampshire, the Epping Conservation Commission, and the 
Lamprey River Advisory Committee have contacted me to request that I 
introduce this legislation which will increase the designated area from 
eleven and a half to twenty-three and a half miles.
  The Lamprey River is situated in coastal New Hampshire and is the 
largest of the rivers that discharge into Great Bay, a designated 
National Estuarine Research Reserve consisting of 4,500 acres of tidal 
waters and wetlands and 800 acres of upland. Both in physical dynamics 
and biological productivity, the Great Bay estuary contributes 
immeasurable economic value to the Northeast and clearly constitutes 
one of New Hampshire's prime natural areas. The Lamprey's size alone 
marks its importance to Great Bay. Its good water quality and intact 
riparian habitat throughout the watershed create an important link 
between the estuary and inland areas.
  The Lamprey is considered New Hampshire's most significant river for 
all species of anadromous fish and it contains every type of stream and 
river fish you could expect to find in New England. Botanical studies 
have documented 329 species of vascular plants of which 252 are 
restricted to wetlands and floodplain communities. In addition, 
according to the State Architectural Historian, the Lamprey is one of 
New Hampshire's most historic streams.
  Perhaps what is most important about this bill is that it will help 
to assure that future generations will enjoy recreational opportunities 
on this great river. Undeveloped along most of its entire length, it is 
a beautiful river to be on and fish. For a quiet retreat into the woods 
the Lamprey is superb--where one can expect quiet canoe or kayak 
paddling past densely forested banks of hemlocks and hardwoods. In 
upstream reaches, people most often use the river recreationally for 
fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming in the summer. In the winter, 
people trade in their boats and fishing poles for cross-country skis. 
This is a truly exceptional river offering a vast variety of activities 
for anyone who cares for the outdoors and I am pleased to offer this 
legislation to assure that it will remain in the same condition for 
generations to come. I ask unanimous consent that my statement and a 
copy of the bill be placed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 972

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. LAMPREY RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

       (a) In General.--Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by striking paragraph 
     (158) and inserting the following:
       ``(158) Lamprey river, new hampshire.--
       ``(A) Designation.--
       ``(i) In general.--The 23.5 mile segment extending from the 
     Bunker Pond Dam in Epping to the confluence with the 
     Piscassic River in the vicinity of the Durham-Newmarket town 
     line (referred to in this paragraph as the `segment') as a 
     recreational river.
       ``(ii) Administration.--

       ``(I) Cooperative agreements.--The segment shall be 
     administered by the Secretary of the Interior through 
     cooperative agreements under section 10(e) between the 
     Secretary and the State of New Hampshire (including the towns 
     of Epping, Lee, Durham, and Newmarket, and other relevant 
     political subdivisions of that State).
       ``(II) Management plan.--

       ``(aa) In general.--The segment shall be managed in 
     accordance with the Lamprey River Management Plan, dated 
     January 10, 1995, and such amendments to that plan as the 
     Secretary of the Interior determines are consistent with this 
     Act.
       ``(bb) Requirement for plan.--The plan described in item 
     (aa) shall be considered to satisfy the requirements for a 
     comprehensive management plan under section 3(d).
       ``(B) Management.--
       ``(i) Committee.--The Secretary of the Interior shall 
     coordinate the management responsibility under this Act with 
     respect to the segment designated by subparagraph (A) with 
     the Lamprey River Advisory Committee established under New 
     Hampshire RSA 483.
       ``(ii) Land management.--

       ``(I) In general.--The zoning ordinances duly adopted by 
     the towns of Epping, Lee, Durham, and Newmarket, New 
     Hampshire, including provisions for conservation of 
     shoreland, floodplains, and wetland associated with the 
     segment, shall--

       ``(aa) be considered to satisfy the standards and 
     requirements of section 6(c) and the provisions of that 
     section that prohibit Federal acquisition of lands by 
     condemnation; and
       ``(bb) apply to the segment designated under subparagraph 
     (A).

       ``(II) Acquisition of land.--The authority of the Secretary 
     to acquire land for the purposes of this paragraph shall be--

       ``(aa) limited to acquisition by donation or with the 
     consent of the owner of the land; and
       ``(bb) subject to the additional criteria set forth in the 
     Lamprey River Management Plan.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 405 of division I of the 
     Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (16 
     U.S.C. 1274 note; Public Law 104-333) is repealed.
                                 ______