[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAINE'S ALLAGASH WILDERNESS WATERWAY

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 50th 
anniversary of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine. This 
92-mile stretch of lake, shore, and river is a shining example of the 
dedication of the people of Maine to protect and preserve the natural 
beauty and heritage that define our great State.
  For thousands of years, the Allagash was the hunting and fishing 
grounds of the Wabanaki, and the river's northerly flow provided an 
important transportation link between the Maine coast and the Saint 
John River. The Waterway's Native American heritage is found in such 
appellations as Umsaskis Lake and Musquacook Stream. In 1857, Henry 
David Thoreau explored the upper reaches of the Allagash during his 
third trip to the Maine woods and learned from his Penobscot guide that 
the river's name referred to the useful bark that could be harvested 
from the vast forests along its banks.
  In the years that followed, the Allagash became a vital part of 
Maine's timber industry. While hiking through the region's remote 
wilderness, it is possible to come upon abandoned steam locomotives 
deep among the trees, remnants of the vast lumbering operations of the 
early 20th century. As the Allagash, rich with fish and game, became a 
favorite destination of outdoor enthusiasts from around the world, the 
surrounding woodlands have remained very much a part of Maine's working 
forest economy.
  In 1966, the people of Maine recognized the special qualities of the 
Allagash and voted to protect it by approving a $1.5 million bond to 
``develop the maximum wilderness character'' of the river, and the 
Maine Legislature established the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Two 
years later, Maine Senator Edmund Muskie authored an amendment to the 
National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 that combined permanent 
Federal protection with permanent State administration. In 1970, the 
Allagash Wilderness Waterway was granted Federal designation as a wild 
river and became the first State-administered component of the National 
Wild and Scenic River System.
  The Allagash Wilderness Waterway captures the essence of the great 
north woods. This 50th anniversary is the time to celebrate the 
commitment to safeguard for generations to come this special place that 
captures the essence of the people of Maine.

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