[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 110 (Monday, July 23, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5087-H5088]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WOOD-PAWCATUCK WATERSHED PROTECTION ACT
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 3388) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
to designate a segment of the Beaver, Chipuxet, Queen, Wood, and
Pawcatuck Rivers in the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island for
study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers
System, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3388
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 ``Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed
Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. BEAVER, CHIPUXET, QUEEN, WOOD, AND PAWCATUCK
RIVERSSTUDY.
(a) Designation for Study.--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:
``(__) Beaver, chipuxet, queen, wood, and pawcatuck rivers,
rhode island and connecticut.--The approximately 10-mile
segment of the Beaver River from its headwaters in Exeter,
Rhode Island, to its confluence with the Pawcatuck River; the
approximately 5-mile segment of the Chipuxet River from
Hundred Acre Pond to its outlet into Worden Pond; the
approximately 10-mile segment of the upper Queen River from
its headwaters to the Usquepaugh Dam in South Kingstown,
Rhode Island, and including all its tributaries; the
approximately 5-mile segment of the lower Queen (Usquepaugh)
River from the Usquepaugh Dam to its confluence with the
Pawcatuck River; the approximately 11-mile segment of the
upper Wood River from its headwaters to Skunk Hill Road in
Richmond and Hopkinton, Rhode Island, and including all its
tributaries; the approximately 10-mile segment of the lower
Wood River from Skunk Hill Road to its confluence with the
Pawcatuck River; the approximately 28-mile segment of the
Pawcatuck River from Worden Pond to Nooseneck Hill Road (RI
Rte 3) in Hopkinton and Westerly, Rhode Island; and the
approximately 7-mile segment of the lower Pawcatuck River
from Nooseneck Hill Road to Pawcatuck Rock, Stonington,
Connecticut, and Westerly, Rhode Island.''.
(b) Study and Report.--Section 5(b) of the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276(b)) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(__) Beaver, chipuxet, queen, wood, and pawcatuck rivers,
rhode island and connecticut.--Not later than 3 years after
the date on which funds are made available to carry out this
paragraph, the Secretary of the Interior shall--
``(A) complete the study of the Beaver, Chipuxet, Queen,
Wood, and Pawcatuck Rivers, Rhode Island and Connecticut,
described in subsection (a)(__);
``(B) submit a report describing the results of that study
to the appropriate committees of Congress;
``(C) include in the report under subparagraph (B) the
effect of the designation under this Act on--
``(i) existing commercial and recreational activities, such
as hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational shooting, motor
boat use, or bridge construction;
``(ii) the authorization, construction, operation,
maintenance, or improvement of energy production and
transmission infrastructure; and
``(iii) the authority of State and local governments to
manage those activities encompassed in clauses (i) and (ii);
and
``(D) identify--
``(i) all authorities that will authorize or require the
Secretary to influence local land use decisions (such as
zoning) or place restrictions on non-Federal land if the area
studied is designated under this Act;
``(ii) all authorities that the Secretary may use to
condemn property if the area studied is designated under this
Act; and
``(iii) all private property located in the area studied
under this provision.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from the Northern Mariana
Islands (Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
General Leave
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to add extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
H.R. 3388, authored by our colleague from Rhode Island (Mr.
Langevin), would authorize the study of 86 miles of rivers in the
States of Connecticut and Rhode Island for a potential addition to the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The Natural Resources Committee amended the legislation to
specifically require that the study consider any potential limitations
on existing uses and any impacts to private property that could occur
with an eventual designation. These are important protections and are
necessary for this study bill to move forward. With that, it is a good
piece of legislation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. SABLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SABLAN. This legislation authorizes the National Park Service to
study roughly 86 miles of rivers in Connecticut and Rhode Island for
possible designation as Wild and Scenic Rivers.
The Wild and Scenic Rivers program currently protects the free-
flowing condition of more than 12,000 miles of rivers in 38 States.
Unfortunately, this is less than 1 quarter of 1 percent of the rivers
in the United States. In contrast, more than 75,000 large dams restrict
the flow of roughly 600,000 miles of river. This is about 17 percent of
the river miles in this country.
Mr. Langevin is to be commended for his hard work on behalf of his
constituents and the natural resources within his State.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to
the author of this legislation, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr.
Langevin).
(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LANGEVIN. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding.
I would like to thank Ranking Member Grijalva and Chairman Bishop and
their staffs for working to bring this
[[Page H5088]]
bill to the committee and to the floor today. I would like to thank my
good friend, Congressman Courtney of Connecticut, who has been an
outstanding partner in this effort. I would also like to thank all of
those back in Rhode Island who have worked to bring this bill to
fruition, including the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, Save the
Bay, The Nature Conservancy, the Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management, and the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection.
Mr. Speaker, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act proposes a
study of segments of the Beaver, Chipuxet, Queen, Wood, and Pawcatuck
Rivers in Rhode Island and Connecticut for potential addition to the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Rhode Island and Connecticut
have long been outstanding stewards of these rivers, so I hope the
passage and completion of this study will affirm what we who live near
these rivers already know, which is that they possess outstanding
recreational, natural, and historical qualities that make them worthy
of the designation of ``Wild and Scenic Rivers.''
As a nation, we are privileged to have access to a diverse system of
wilderness areas, not only in the remote expanses of our country but
also close to home--in our backyard wilderness. The rivers of the Wood-
Pawcatuck watershed are within a 45-minute drive for every Rhode
Islander, easily accessible for family outings and school field trips.
The people of Rhode Island and Connecticut have long enjoyed the
recreational and scenic wealth of the Wood-Pawcatuck, and we are eager
to share this natural treasure with the rest of New England and the
Nation.
These rivers are not only an important part of our national heritage;
they are a critical part of our economy, which relies on the health of
our waters. The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed offers diverse destinations
for tourism, which is a vital industry to Rhode Island and Connecticut,
and these rivers offer exceptional trout fishing, canoeing,
photography, and bird watching opportunities, with adjacent hiking and
camping our for sportsmen. Accordingly, the study will not only review
the special character of the river, but it will fully engage with local
government, landowners, and businesses to recognize the existing
commercial and recreational activities on or adjacent to the watershed.
With that, Mr. Speaker, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act offers the
best guarantee that the Wood-Pawcatuck will be here for future
generations to enjoy. The passage of this study is an important first
step along that path. The rivers of the Wood-Pawcatuck watershed
contain outstanding recreational, scenic, and natural heritage
qualities that would be an excellent addition to the National Wild and
Scenic Rivers System. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of
this bill.
Again, I want to thank the members of the committee, especially the
chair and the ranking member, for bringing the bill to the floor, and I
thank Mr. Hastings and also Mr. Sablan for their assistance with this
as well.
{time} 1600
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I advise my friend from the
Northern Marianas that I have no more requests for time, and I'm
prepared to close if he is.
Mr. SABLAN. I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, this is good
legislation, and I urge its adoption.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3388, as amended
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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