[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 132 (Wednesday, September 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S11904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S11904]]
                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                  HONORING JUDY HADLEY OF LINCOLN, RI

 Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I would like to share with my 
colleagues a story demonstrating one person's ability to protect the 
environment from the threat of pollution, for the benefit of wildlife 
and human enjoyment, alike.
  Thirty years after the passage of the Clean Water act, the Blackstone 
river has shaken off a legacy of neglect and re-emerged as a vital 
community asset. The water quality has improved, a bikeway is under 
construction, and mill buildings are being restored as apartments and 
condominiums. The National Park Service is promoting a new appreciation 
for the work and culture of the families who have made the Blackstone 
Valley their home. And just last week, I joined the Army Corps of 
Engineers in celebrating the restoration of wetlands in a floodplain 
that had been paved over for 50 years. So there is a great deal of 
activity on the banks of the Blackstone.
  While the federal government has been a major player in the river's 
rebirth, none of these exciting developments would have been possible 
without the personal commitment of Blackstone Valley residents. It is 
their hard work and, more importantly, their heightened vigilance and 
renewed sense of ownership of the river, that have helped it to thrive.
  Once such resident is Judy Hadley of Lincoln, RI--a town of about 
21,000 people, located on the Blackstone River. As the chair of the 
Lincoln Land Trust, Judy is a staunch defender of her town's remaining 
open spaces and a passionate advocate on behalf of the Blackstone. She 
is active a number of other local organizations, including the Friends 
of the Blackstone River, the Blackstone River Watershed Council, and 
the Lincoln Tree and trail Commission. She has organized river cleanups 
and educated her fellow residents about the impact that stormwater has 
on the Blackstone and its wildlife population.
  For many years, a 60-ton excavator sat abandoned on a manmade island 
in the river--a relic of an old gravel mining operation. It was an 
eyesore and a potential environment hazard. Two years ago, Judy Hadley 
went to work: canvassing State and Federal authorities, trying to find 
the best solution for this problem. No agency seemed to have the right 
equipment or the resources to handle such an unusual request, but Judy 
persisted. If she could have dismantled it herself and taken it away 
piece by piece, I think she would have.
  Fortunately, Mr. President, it did not come to that. Last year, the 
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management removed more than 
300 gallons of diesel fuel and other fluids from the machinery. The 
excavator itself was finally taken away this summer by the Army Corps 
via a temporary land bridge, as part of the wetland restoration project 
that I mentioned earlier.

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