Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act

LOWER FARMINGTON RIVER AND SALMON BROOK WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY ACT -- (House of Representatives - September 25, 2006)

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Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi); and I thank the gentlewoman from Guam for her concurrence in moving this study forward; and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), chairman of the Resources Committee, for allowing this matter to come to the floor of the House early in the week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1344, the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act. This important legislation builds on the designation of the west branch of the Farmington River which I initiated in 1994. The bill commissions a feasibility study to evaluate whether the lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook qualify as a Wild and Scenic Partnership River within the National Park Service's Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The lower Farmington is defined as a 40-mile stretch between the lower Collinsville Dam in Burlington and the Rainbow Dam in Windsor in the Fifth and First Congressional Districts.

The Farmington River and Salmon Brook's recreational and environmental contributions to our State are well-known and must be protected for future generations. The 14 miles of the Farmington River's West Branch, designated as a Wild and Scenic Partnership River in 1994, is a resounding environmental and economic success. Partnership designation for the West Branch has fostered public-private partnerships to preserve the area's environment and heritage, while yielding the economic benefits to river towns.

The West Branch of the river is home to trout, river otter and bald eagle populations; and historic structures still grace its banks. Fishermen, hikers, canoeists and kayakers enjoy the river and its banks year-round. In addition, a 2003 study by North Carolina State University found that partnership designation resulted in millions in economic activity and increased property values in the river towns of Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Hartland, and New Hartford.

I hope to see the rest of the Farmington River, as well as Salmon Brook, enjoy similar success. This new initiative is an ideal way to extend that protection and showcase the river's unique cultural and recreational resources, including native American archaeological sites and the Farmington River Canal remnants.

The Lower Farmington also offers recreational opportunities and has been the site of U.S. Olympic Team white water slalom trials. Additionally, the river is home to native brook trout and the slimy sculpin, two fish species only found in areas of high-quality water.

The study of the river is an essential step forward in the designation process. With its strong bipartisan support, I also would like to thank the Resources Committee for bringing this bill forward. I encourage my colleagues to support the legislation.

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