[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8312-8313]
[From the U.S. 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. 723) 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. 723

       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 RIVERS 
                   STUDY.

       (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 paragraph;
       ``(ii) all authorities that the Secretary may use to 
     condemn property if the area studied is designated under this 
     paragraph; and
       ``(iii) all private property located in the area studied 
     under this provision.''.


[[Page 8313]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) 
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 include 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. 723 would authorize the study of 86 miles of rivers in the 
States of Connecticut and Rhode Island for 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 
in an eventual designation. These are important protections and are 
necessary for this study bill to move forward.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  We support the legislation, and I would like to yield as much time as 
he may consume to the author and sponsor of the legislation, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Congressman Grijalva, the 
ranking member of the subcommittee, for yielding and for his 
outstanding work in support of this legislation. Let me also thank 
Chairman Hastings, as well as the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. 
Bishop, and your hardworking staff for working to bring this bill 
through the committee and to the floor today.
  I would also like to thank my good friend from Connecticut, 
Congressman Courtney, who has been an outstanding partner in this 
effort as well. And, of course, our State partners, including the Wood-
Pawcatuck Watershed Association, Save the Bay, the Nature Conservancy, 
the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the 
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Their 
collaboration really has been instrumental in bringing this legislation 
to fruition.
  As a Nation, we are, of course, privileged to have access to a 
diverse system of wilderness areas--from remote expanses of our country 
to backyard wildernesses closer to home. The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 
is such a place. Its rivers are within a 45-minute drive of every Rhode 
Islander, easily accessible for family outings and school field trips. 
Passage of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act will allow for 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, and I hope passage and completion of this study will 
affirm what we Rhode Islanders already know--that the Pawcatuck and its 
tributaries possess outstanding recreational, natural, and historical 
qualities that make them worthy of the designation of Wild and Scenic 
Rivers. 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.
  The Wood-Pawcatuck watershed offers exceptional trout fishing, 
canoeing, photography, and bird watching, with adjacent hiking and 
camping for our sportsmen. These rivers are not only an important part 
of our national heritage, they are also a critical part of our tourism 
industry and the economy. Accordingly, the study will fully engage with 
local government, landowners, and businesses to recognize the existing 
commercial and recreational activities on or adjacent to the watershed.
  The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act offers the best guarantee that the 
Wood-Pawcatuck will be here for future generations to enjoy, and 
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, and I 
urge my colleagues to support the passage of this bill.
  Again, I want to thank all those involved in helping to bring this 
bill to the floor.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, 
and yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Wood-
Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act.
  The measure would amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to authorize a 
study for potential addition to the national wild and scenic rivers 
system. The catalog of lands and rivers that carry this designation 
would surely benefit from the inclusion of this watershed, an area 
identified as containing the last large forested track south of Boston. 
While a 300 square mile area of land may not sound like a large area to 
some of my colleagues, open space in New England has come under 
increased pressure from development. Conducting a study with the 
potential of inducting into or including this watershed in the wild and 
scenic river system would significantly ease these development 
pressures.
  In fact, the National Park Service has already conducted studies on 
this watershed. These past studies have identified the Wood and 
Pawcatuck Rivers as ``unique and irreplaceable resources.'' But even 
today the level of flora, fauna, reptiles, fish, and mammals found 
within the Wood-Pawcatuck boundaries is staggering for this region of 
the country. It includes the New England Cottontail an animal listed 
under the Endangered Species Act. The range of the cottontail 
historically included most of New England and parts of New York, yet 
today the watershed is one of only five locations this species can be 
found.
  The watershed is one of the few remaining relatively pristine natural 
areas along the northeast corridor between New York and Boston. In 
fact, forest and wetlands comprise 60 percent of this land, which helps 
maintain its high water quality. This landscape provides vast 
recreational opportunities: 57 miles of rivers, mostly flat-water 
paddling on the rivers; numerous streams in pristine forest for fishing 
native brook trout and stocked brown and rainbow trout; and five state 
management areas for hiking, biking, hunting, birding and natures 
studies.
  My district is already home to another watershed that carries the 
wild and scenic designation, the Eightmile River. I have seen firsthand 
the importance associated with this status. A partnership between the 
Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Coordinating Committee and the National 
Park Service has developed and carried out strategies for ensuring the 
watershed ecosystem is protected and enhanced for generations to come. 
The involvement at the federal, state, and local levels has been 
invaluable to this resource. Expanding these same opportunities to 
Wood-Pawcatuck is critical.
  I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Jim 
Langevin of Rhode Island, for his leadership in introducing this bill 
and ushering it successfully through this chamber again this year. 
Lastly, I would like to recognize the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed 
Association who has promoted and protected the integrity of the lands 
and waters of the watershed since 1983. Their dedication to this 
invaluable natural treasure must be applauded.
  I urge passage of this legislation and thank my colleagues for their 
support.
  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. 723, 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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