[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 121 (Monday, September 25, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6937-H6938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




LOWER FARMINGTON RIVER AND SALMON BROOK WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY ACT

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1344) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a 
segment of the Farmington River and Salmon Brook in the State of 
Connecticut for study for potential addition to the National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1344

       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 ``Lower Farmington River and 
     Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act''.

     SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL SEGMENT OF FARMINGTON RIVER 
                   AND SALMON BROOK IN CONNECTICUT FOR STUDY FOR 
                   POTENTIAL ADDITION TO NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC 
                   RIVERS SYSTEM.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Farmington River and Salmon Brook in the State of 
     Connecticut possess important resource values, including 
     wildlife, ecological, and scenic values, and historic sites 
     and a cultural past important to America's heritage.
       (2) There is a longstanding interest among State and local 
     officials, area residents, and river and brook users in 
     undertaking a concerted cooperative effort to manage the 
     river and brook in a productive and meaningful way.
       (b) Designation.--Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic 
     Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(a)) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new paragraph:
       ``(139) Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook, 
     Connecticut.--The segment of the Farmington River downstream 
     from the segment designated as a recreational river by 
     section 3(a)(156) to its confluence with the Connecticut 
     River, and the segment of the Salmon Brook including its 
     mainstem and east and west branches.''.
       (c) Time for Submission.--Not later than three years after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the 
     Interior shall submit to Congress a report containing the 
     results of the study required by the amendment made by 
     subsection (b).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.

                              {time}  1415

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1344, introduced by the gentlewoman from 
Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) and amended by the House Resources Committee 
would designate a segment of the Farmington River and Salmon Brook in 
the State of Connecticut for study for potential addition to the 
National Wild and Scenic River Systems.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, while the majority has decided to bypass 
the hearing and the committee consideration process for the pending 
legislation, H.R. 1344, since it simply authorizes a study of a 
proposed river designation, we have no objection to adoption of the 
bill by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), the author of the bill.
  Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi); and I thank the gentlewoman from Guam for her 
concurrence in moving this study forward; and I thank the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Pombo), chairman of the Resources Committee, for 
allowing this matter to come to the floor of the House early in the 
week.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1344, the Lower 
Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act. This 
important legislation builds on the designation of the west branch of 
the Farmington River which I initiated in 1994. The bill commissions a 
feasibility study to evaluate whether the lower Farmington River and 
Salmon Brook qualify as a Wild and Scenic Partnership River within the 
National Park Service's Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The lower 
Farmington is defined as a 40-mile stretch between the lower 
Collinsville Dam in Burlington and the Rainbow Dam in Windsor in the 
Fifth and First Congressional Districts.
  The Farmington River and Salmon Brook's recreational and 
environmental contributions to our State are well-known and must be 
protected for future generations. The 14 miles of the Farmington 
River's West Branch, designated as a Wild and Scenic Partnership River 
in 1994, is a resounding environmental and economic success. 
Partnership designation for the West Branch has fostered public-private 
partnerships to preserve the area's environment and heritage, while 
yielding the economic benefits to river towns.
  The West Branch of the river is home to trout, river otter and bald 
eagle populations; and historic structures still grace its banks. 
Fishermen, hikers, canoeists and kayakers enjoy the river and its banks 
year-round. In addition, a 2003 study by North Carolina State 
University found that partnership designation resulted in millions in 
economic activity and increased property values in the river towns of 
Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Hartland, and New Hartford.
  I hope to see the rest of the Farmington River, as well as Salmon 
Brook, enjoy similar success. This new initiative is an ideal way to 
extend that protection and showcase the river's unique cultural and 
recreational resources, including native American archaeological sites 
and the Farmington River Canal remnants.
  The Lower Farmington also offers recreational opportunities and has 
been the site of U.S. Olympic Team white water slalom trials. 
Additionally, the river is home to native brook trout and the slimy 
sculpin, two fish species only found in areas of high-quality water.
  The study of the river is an essential step forward in the 
designation process. With its strong bipartisan support, I also would 
like to thank the Resources Committee for bringing this bill forward. I 
encourage my colleagues to support the legislation.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Lower 
Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act, I 
rise in strong support of this very important bill.
  Connecticut is fortunate to be the home of the Farmington River, 
which hosts a wealth of natural beauty, a variety of wildlife, and a 
cultural past important to our state, region, and Nation. In 1994, 
Congress recognized the upper section of the Farmington--a 14 mile-long 
stretch that runs from the base of the Goodwin Dam in Hartland to the 
downstream border of Canton and New Hartford, as Wild and Scenic. As a 
federally protected river segment, the natural splendor and resources 
of

[[Page H6938]]

the Upper Farmington have been managed cooperatively on the local, 
state and federal level for over a decade. Regrettably, Salmon Brook, a 
major tributary, and the Lower Farmington that runs 40 miles from 
Canton to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Windsor do not 
share the same federal protection. Continued threats to the river's 
water quality reinforce the urgent need for a collaborative effort to 
preserve the unique character of both the Upper and Lower Farmington, 
as well as Salmon Brook, for present and future generations.
  The Lower Farmington is a rare natural, cultural and recreational 
area for the people of the First District and throughout the entire 
state of Connecticut. The river's free-flowing waters support a rich 
ecological system and serves as the habitat for diverse fish species, 
including the American shad and the Atlantic salmon. The River is also 
home to trout, river otter and bald eagle populations. Since the 1600s, 
the River has prominently been featured in our state history, from the 
Tunxis Native American tribes who settled on its shores to the mills 
and dams that sprung up as part of the Industrial Revolution. Today, 
people from across Connecticut can enjoy the majestic views of the 
river along the Farmington River Trail--a former railroad line that 
when completed will run 26 miles along the shores of the Farmington.
  Since 1968, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System has protected 
the Nation's most valuable rivers. Through this system, rivers that 
possess remarkable scenic, recreational, natural, and cultural values 
are preserved in their free-flowing condition and are protected for the 
benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Designated 
rivers are afforded the federal protection necessary to maintain their 
resources and character.
  The Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River 
Study Act is the first significant step towards designating the Lower 
Farmington in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in ensuring the environmental and historic 
preservation of these waterways by supporting the underlying bill.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1344, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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