[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 165 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15180-S15181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TAUNTON RIVER WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY ACT OF 1999

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 1569) to amend the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Taunton River in the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts for study for potential addition to the 
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes, which 
had been reported from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, 
with amendments; as follows:
  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted as shown in 
italic.)

                                S. 1569

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Taunton River Wild and 
     Scenic River Study Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the Taunton River in the State of Massachusetts 
     possesses important resource values (including wildlife, 
     ecological, and scenic values), historic sites, and a 
     cultural past important to the heritage of the United States;
       (2) there is strong support among State and local 
     officials, area residents, and river users for a cooperative 
     wild and scenic river study of the area; and
       (3) there is a longstanding interest among State and local 
     officials, area residents, and river users in undertaking a 
     concerted cooperative effort to manage the river in a 
     productive and meaningful way.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION FOR STUDY.

       Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1276(a)) is amended--
       (1) by designating the undesignated paragraph following 
     (135) as paragraph (136); and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(137) Taunton river, massachusetts.--The segment 
     downstream from the headwaters, from the confluence of the 
     Town River and the Matfield River in Bridgewater to the 
     confluence with the Forge River in Raynham, Massachusetts.''.

     [SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT.]

     SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT.

       Section 5(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1276(b)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating the second paragraph (8) as paragraph 
     (10);
       (2) by redesignating the second paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (12);
       (3) by redesignating the third paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (13);
       (4) by redesignating the fourth paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (14);
       (5) by redesignating the first undesignated paragraph as 
     paragraph (15);
       (6) by redesignating the second undesignated paragraph as 
     paragraph (16); and
       (7) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(17) Taunton river, massachusetts.--Not later than 3 
     years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the 
     Secretary of the Interior--
       ``(A) shall complete the study of the Taunton River, 
     Massachusetts; and
       ``(B) shall submit to Congress a report describing the 
     results of the study.''.

     [SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.]

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1569), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1569

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Taunton River Wild and 
     Scenic River Study Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the Taunton River in the State of Massachusetts 
     possesses important resource values (including wildlife, 
     ecological, and scenic values), historic sites, and a 
     cultural past important to the heritage of the United States;

[[Page S15181]]

       (2) there is strong support among State and local 
     officials, area residents, and river users for a cooperative 
     wild and scenic river study of the area; and
       (3) there is a longstanding interest among State and local 
     officials, area residents, and river users in undertaking a 
     concerted cooperative effort to manage the river in a 
     productive and meaningful way.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION FOR STUDY.

       Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1276(a)) is amended--
       (1) by designating the undesignated paragraph following 
     (135) as paragraph (136); and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(137) Taunton river, massachusetts.--The segment 
     downstream from the headwaters, from the confluence of the 
     Town River and the Matfield River in Bridgewater to the 
     confluence with the Forge River in Raynham, Massachusetts.''.

     SEC. 4. STUDY AND REPORT.

       Section 5(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
     1276(b)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating the second paragraph (8) as paragraph 
     (10);
       (2) by redesignating the second paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (12);
       (3) by redesignating the third paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (13);
       (4) by redesignating the fourth paragraph (11) as paragraph 
     (14);
       (5) by redesignating the first undesignated paragraph as 
     paragraph (15);
       (6) by redesignating the second undesignated paragraph as 
     paragraph (16); and
       (7) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(17) Taunton river, massachusetts.--Not later than 3 
     years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the 
     Secretary of the Interior--
       ``(A) shall complete the study of the Taunton River, 
     Massachusetts; and
       ``(B) shall submit to Congress a report describing the 
     results of the study.''.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out this Act.

                          ____________________