[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 49 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S3533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
        Jeffords, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Kennedy, and 
        Mr. Kerry):
  S. 703. A bill to extend the effective period of the consent of 
Congress to the interstate compact relating to the restoration of 
Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River Basin and creating the 
Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce 
a bill to extend the authorization of the Connecticut River Atlantic 
Salmon Commission, CRASC, for an additional 20 years.
  CRASC is a cooperative effort that includes multiple state and 
federal agencies, conservation organizations, industry and citizens 
throughout the Connecticut River basin. It was initially recognized by 
Congress in 1983. For the past twenty years, the Commission has been 
working to restore Atlantic salmon and other anadromous fish 
populations in the Connecticut River watershed.
  The Connecticut River basin runs through the states of New Hampshire, 
Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The native Atlantic salmon 
stocks declined through the 18th century, and disappeared from the 
Connecticut River and its tributaries in the 1800s. Since 1983, CRASC 
has been successful in reintroducing the Atlantic salmon throughout the 
watershed.
  The success of the CRASC is due to the cooperative nature in which it 
runs. Without the support of all the stakeholders, the restoration 
efforts would be slower and more difficult. Restoration efforts include 
the construction and maintenance of fish passage systems; salmon 
hatcheries and reintroduction; habitat restoration; research, 
monitoring and evaluation; and education and public outreach. The 
health of the salmon population is directly related to the quality of 
the river, and without these efforts, the two million people who live 
in the basin would be unable to enjoy the benefits that can be derived 
from a cleaner, healthier river system.
  The legislation that I am introducing does two basic things. First, 
it reauthorizes the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission for 
another twenty years. Second, the bill authorizes $9 million in 
appropriations to the Secretary of the Interior through 2010 to carry 
out Atlantic salmon and anadromous fish restoration activities. The 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides the Commission with just over 
half of its annual expenditures; however, the level of funding has not 
kept pace with needs. This authorization level would provide $5 million 
a year to federal and state agencies for operations and maintenance 
needs, and $4 million a year for construction and capital improvement 
needs for the hatcheries and fish passage systems.
  The Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission is the perfect 
example of federal and state agencies and the public working together 
to conserve our natural resources. In the past twenty years, this 
cooperative approach to conservation has resulted in the successful 
conservation of anadromous fish populations throughout the Connecticut 
River basin, as well as the improvement in the quality of the river and 
its tributaries. This kind of effort deserves the continued support of 
Congress.
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