[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4575-S4576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAUFMAN (for himself, Mr. Carper, and Mr. Casey):
  S. 853. A bill to designate additional segments and tributaries of 
White Clay Creek, in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a 
component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I am joined by Senator Carper and Senator 
Casey in introducing a bill that would expand the designation of the 
White Clay Creek National Wild and Scenic River in Delaware and 
Pennsylvania to include two new sites: Lamborn Run in Delaware and the 
East Branch and Egypt Run in New Garden Township in Pennsylvania.
  In 2000, the White Clay Creek watershed was designated Delaware's 
first and only National Wild and Scenic River. The watershed is home to 
a wide variety of plant and animal life, archeological sites dating 
back to prehistoric times, and a bi-State preserve and State park. It 
is also a source of drinking water for the region.
  A National Park Service study released in 1994 details the 
watershed's diversity of natural, historic, cultural, and recreational 
resources, and its results led the way for its original designation.
  The watershed covers approximately 107 square miles and drains over 
69,000 acres in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Of those 69,000 acres, 5,000 
acres are public lands owned by State and local governments and the 
rest is privately owned and maintained. There are no Federal lands 
within the watershed and no Federal dollars were used to purchase any 
of the land within its boundaries.
  The watershed is centrally located between the densely urbanized 
regions of New York and Washington, DC. The legislation being 
introduced today will expand the designation by incorporating an 
additional 9 miles to White Clay's National Wild and Scenic River, 
bringing the total federally recognized miles within the watershed to 
199.9 miles.
  National Wild and Scenic designation brings recognition to the unique 
cultural, natural, scenic, and recreational values of the White Clay 
Creek watershed. It provides an added level of protection from 
overdevelopment, and it elevates the value of the watershed when 
applying for State, local, and Federal grants. Projects located within 
the White Clay Creek watershed have received almost $4 million in 
Federal funding since being designated in 2000.
  While there are over 160 National wild and scenic rivers, the White 
Clay Creek can claim a few distinctions. First, it is Delaware's first 
and only wild and scenic river. It is one of only 12 rivers nationwide 
that is classified as a partnership river. That is a river that is 
managed on the local level with support from homeowners and communities 
and with the limited assistance of government on the local, State, and 
Federal level. It was the first to be studied and designated on a 
watershed basis, and it is the only wild and scenic

[[Page S4576]]

river that runs through a college or university.
  Thirty years ago, I was privileged to be a part of the effort that 
eventually designated White Clay Creek as Delaware's first and only 
wild and scenic river. Today, I am proud to introduce legislation that 
will further expand and preserve this unique region.
  I wish to thank everyone who has worked so hard and for so long to 
celebrate and preserve its natural beauty, so that 30 years from now 
our children and grandchildren can enjoy the same pristine landscape we 
appreciate today.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 853

       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 ``White Clay Creek Wild and 
     Scenic River Expansion Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) the White Clay Creek watershed is 1 of only a few 
     relatively intact and unspoiled functioning river systems 
     remaining in the highly congested and developed corridor 
     between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Newark, Delaware;
       (2) Public Law 102-215 (16 U.S.C. 1271 note; 105 Stat. 
     1664) directed the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation 
     and consultation with appropriate State and local governments 
     and affected landowners, to conduct a study of the 
     eligibility and suitability of White Clay Creek, in the 
     States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, and the tributaries of 
     the creek for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic 
     Rivers System;
       (3) as a part of the study described in paragraph (2), all 
     segments listed in the amendments made by section 3 were 
     found eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic 
     Rivers System;
       (4) local communities and governments along the proposed 
     river segments have passed resolutions in support of the 
     designation of the segments listed in the amendments made by 
     section 3 as components of the National Wild and Scenic 
     Rivers System; and
       (5) Public Law 106-357 (16 U.S.C. 1271 note; 114 Stat. 
     1393) designated 190 miles of river segments of White Clay 
     Creek (including tributaries of White Clay Creek and all 
     second order tributaries of the designated segments) in the 
     States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, to be administered by 
     the Secretary of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF SEGMENTS OF WHITE CLAY CREEK, AS 
                   SCENIC AND RECREATIONAL RIVERS.

       Section 3(a)(163) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 
     U.S. C. 1274(a)(163)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
       (A) by striking ``190 miles'' and inserting ``199 miles''; 
     and
       (B) by striking ``(dated June 2000)'' and inserting 
     ``(dated February 2009)'';
       (2) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(B) 22.4 miles of the east branch beginning at the 
     southern boundary line of the Borough of Avondale, including 
     Walnut Run, Broad Run, and Egypt Run, outside the boundaries 
     of the White Clay Creek Preserve, as a recreational river.''; 
     and
       (3) by striking subparagraph (H) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(H) 14.3 miles of the main stem, including Lamborn Run, 
     that flow through the boundaries of the White Clay Creek 
     Preserve, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and White Clay Creek 
     State Park, Delaware beginning at the confluence of the east 
     and middle branches in London Britain Township, Pennsylvania, 
     downstream to the northern boundary line of the City of 
     Newark, Delaware, as a scenic river.''.

     SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION OF WHITE CLAY CREEK.

       Sections 4 through 8 of Public Law 106-357 (16 U.S.C. 1274 
     note; 114 Stat. 1393), shall be applicable to the additional 
     segments of the White Clay Creek designated by the amendments 
     made by section 3.
                                 ______