[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 144 (Thursday, September 11, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LIEBERMAN:
  S. 3482. A bill to designate a portion of the Rappahannock River in 
the Commonwealth of Virginia as the ``John W. Warner Rapids''; to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to 
designate a portion of the Rappahannock River in Virginia as the ``John 
W. Warner Rapids''.
  These man-made rapids are a testament to Senator Warner's long-
standing commitment to protect and preserve the environment, as they 
are the remains of the Embrey Dam, whose removal he championed.
  The Rappahannock River in Virginia flows over 180 miles from the Blue 
Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay. At historic Fredericksburg, 
founded in 1728 along the river's fall line, the Rappahannock was 
blocked by a wooden crib dam built in 1853 and a 22-foot high concrete 
dam built in 1910.
  Until the 1960s, the dam was used to generate hydroelectric power, 
and until 2000 it was used to divert water into a canal as a raw water 
source for the city. In the 1990s, the city began to develop a new 
regional water supply; and it was determined that the water facility 
connected to the dam could be closed.
  Funding to remove the dam was a significant hurdle. The City sought 
support from the Federal government and found a strong advocate in 
Senator John W. Warner. In the mid 1990s, the local river conservation 
group, Friends of the Rappahannock, invited Senator Warner to a 
discussion about the removal of the dam. After discussion and a paddle 
to the site, Senator Warner pledged that if the group could demonstrate 
community consensus regarding the dam's removal, he would personally 
support the effort.
  On February 23, 2004, on Senator Warner's signal, 600 pounds of 
explosives set by the Army and Air Force Reserves opened a 130-foot 
breach in Embrey Dam, setting the Rappahannock River to flow free for 
the first time since 1853. By reopening the Rappahannock River, more 
than 1,300 river and stream miles immediately became available to 
migratory fish in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  On July 30, 2005, the Friends of the Rappahannock and the City of 
Fredericksburg honored Senator Warner in a ``Rappahannock River Running 
Free'' celebration. The American Canoe Association, established in 1880 
and the nation's oldest and largest canoe, kayak, and rafting 
organization, stated: ``For over 150 years the Rappahannock River has 
been holding its breath behind a wall of iron, concrete, and wood. U.S. 
Senator John W. Warner's efforts have allowed the Rappahannock River to 
breathe free once again. In appreciation of his efforts, the community 
of paddlers and river users has bestowed upon him their highest honor. 
So, let it be known, on behalf of the City of Fredericksburg, the 
Friends of the Rappahannock, the American Canoe Association, and the 
community of paddlers, that the new rapids formed at the removal of the 
dam be known, now and forever, and recorded on all maps, as `John W. 
Warner Rapids' and may all your travels through be smooth.''
  On 1 November 2008, Senator Warner will be presented with a bronze 
plaque that will be affixed to a permanent monument along the banks of 
the Rappahannock River at the rapids formed by the remnants of the dam.
  The actions that I have described are a shining example of the 
commitment Senator Warner has shown to the environment during his 30 
years in this body. He recognizes the importance of protecting and 
preserving natural treasures for the enjoyment of this and future 
generations.
  It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be able to work so closely 
with him in this regard. For many years, Senator Warner and I have 
served together on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public 
Works. At the start of this Congress, I became the chairman of that 
committee's global warming subcommittee. I was honored and delighted 
when Senator Warner became, at his request, the ranking minority member 
of that subcommittee. In February of last year, the two of us held a 
subcommittee hearing on the impacts of global warming on wildlife. 
Senator Warner spoke with conviction and eloquence about his commitment 
to wildlife conservation, and about his particular love for rivers and 
streams.
  In an example of the courage and statesmanship for which he is 
rightly known, Senator Warner joined with me to write a bill to reduce 
the man-made greenhouse-gas emissions that are disrupting wildlife, 
threatening our national security, and imperiling our economy. Last 
October, we introduced our Climate Security Act, and the next month 
both our subcommittee and the full Environment and Public Works 
Committee reported the bill favorably. That had never happened before 
with a climate bill in the U.S. Congress, and it would not have 
happened without the leadership, credibility, patience, and wisdom of 
Senator Warner. I join many, many others in looking up to him, and I am 
privileged to call him my friend.
  The bill that I introduce today is a fitting tribute to the legacy 
that Senator Warner leaves behind as he retires. I encourage my 
colleagues to honor him by passing this legislation.

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