[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 14 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Pages 618-619]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic 
River Act

April 9, 1999

    I have today signed into law H.R. 193, the ``Sudbury, Assabet, and 
Concord Wild and Scenic River Act.'' The Act will designate portions of 
the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers in Massachusetts as part of the 
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. I am pleased that the Congress 
has moved quickly to pass this legislation, which has bipartisan 
support.
    This Act recognizes 29 free-flowing miles of these three rivers for 
their outstanding ecology, history, scenery, recreation values, and 
place in American literature. Located about 25 miles west of Boston, 
these rivers are remarkably undeveloped and provide recreational 
opportunities in a natural setting to several million people living in 
the Greater Boston metropolitan area. Ten of the river miles lie within 
the boundary of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, which was 
established to protect the outstanding waterfowl habitat associated with 
extensive riparian wetlands. Historic sites of national importance, 
including many in the Minute Man National Historical Park, are located 
near the rivers in the Town of Concord. Among these is Old North Bridge, 
site of the Revolution's ``shot heard round the world.'' The rivers are 
featured prominently in the works of 19th century authors Hawthorne, 
Emerson, and Thoreau, and have been the subject of ornithological 
studies since early days of field observation techniques.
    Important to the designation of these rivers and their long-term 
protection is the strong local support and commitment to management and 
preservation as expressed by the communities and property owners along 
the river segments. Each of the eight towns along the river segments 
held town meetings regarding the designation of these river segments. 
Votes at these meetings in support of designation and endorsement of the 
Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord River Conservation Plan were unanimous 
among the eight towns. The Conservation Plan relies on local and private 
initiatives to protect the river segments through local zoning and land 
use controls.
    I am pleased to add these 29 miles of the Sudbury, Assabet, and 
Concord Rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. I commend 
the elected officials and people of Massachusetts who worked so 
diligently on the river study, building local support for the wild and 
scenic river designation and the passage of this legislation. I want to 
particularly commend the efforts of Representative Marty Meehan, the 
principal sponsor of H.R. 193, whose leadership led to the enactment of 
this important legislation. I also want to recognize Senator Kennedy who 
championed this bill in the Senate.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
April 9, 1999.

Note: H.R. 193, approved April 9, was not received by the Office of the 
Federal Register in time for designation of a Public Law number. An 
original was not available for verification of the content of this 
statement.

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