[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
[December 13, 1995]
[Pages 1887-1888]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress Transmitting the Farmington River Report
December 13, 1995

To the Congress of the United States:
    I take pleasure in transmitting the enclosed report for the 
Farmington River in the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. 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 
Farmington River Study was authorized by Public Law 99-590.
    The study was conducted by the National Park Service, with 
invaluable assistance from a congressionally mandated study committee. 
The National Park Service determined that the 11-mile study segment in 
Massachusetts and the 14-mile study segment in Connecticut were eligible 
for designation based upon their free-flowing character and 
recreational, fish, wildlife and historic values.
    The 14-mile Connecticut segment of the river has already been 
designated as a Wild and Scenic River pursuant to Public Law 103-313, 
August 26, 1994. The purpose of this transmittal is to inform the 
Congress that, although eligible for designation, I do not recommend 
that the Massachusetts segment be designated at this time due to lack of 
support by the towns adjoining it. If at some future date the towns 
should change their position and the river has retained its present 
characteristics, the Congress could reconsider the issue. Also, for 3 
years from the date of this transmittal, the Massachusetts segment will 
remain subject to section 7(b) of the

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Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Section 7(b) prohibits licensing of projects 
by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Federal or federally 
assisted water resource development projects that would have a direct 
and adverse effect on the values for which the river might be 
designated. Finally, the report includes the Upper Farmington River 
Management Plan that is referenced in Public Law 103-313 as the plan by 
which the designated river will be managed.
    The plan demonstrated a true partnership effort of the type that we 
believe will be increasingly necessary if we are to have affordable 
protection of our environment in the future.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

December 13, 1995.