[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.
____________________