[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10583-10584]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



REPORT ON WEKIVA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA--MESSAGE 
                FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 
from the President of the United States; which was read and, together 
with the accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the 
Committee on Resources:
To the Congress of the United States:
  I take pleasure in transmitting the enclosed report for the Wekiva 
River and several tributaries in Florida. The report and my 
recommendations are in response to the provisions of the Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act, Public Law 90-542, as amended. The Wekiva study was 
authorized by Public Law 104-311.
  The National Park Service conducted the study with assistance from 
the Wekiva River Basin Working Group, a committee established by the 
Florida Department of Environmental Protection to represent a broad 
spectrum of environmental and developmental interests. The study found 
that 45.5 miles of river are eligible for the National Wild and Scenic 
Rivers System (the ``System'') based on free-flowing character, good 
water quality, and ``outstanding remarkable'' scenic, recreational, 
fish and wildlife, and historic/cultural values.
  Almost all the land adjacent to the eligible rivers is in public 
ownership and managed by State and county governments for conservation 
purposes. The exception to this pattern is the 3.9-mile-long Seminole 
Creek that is in private ownership. The public land managers strongly 
support designation

[[Page 10584]]

while the private landowner opposes designation of his land. Therefore, 
I recommend that the 41.6 miles of river abutted by public lands and as 
described in the enclosed report be designated a component of the 
System. Seminole Creek could be added if the adjacent landowner should 
change his mind or if this land is ever purchased by an individual or 
conservation agency who does not object. The tributary is not centrally 
located in the area proposed for designation.
  I further recommend that legislation designating the Wekiva and 
eligible tributaries specify that on-the-ground management 
responsibilities remain with the existing land manager and not the 
Secretary of the Department of the Interior. This is in accordance with 
expressed State wishes and is logical. Responsibilities of the 
Secretary should be limited to working with State and local partners in 
developing a comprehensive river management plan, providing technical 
assistance, and reviewing effects of water resource development 
proposals in accordance with section 7 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
Act.
  We look forward to working with the Congress to designate this worthy 
addition to the National Wild and Scenic River System.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
The White House, June 13, 2000.

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