Tsongas Promotes Region's Rivers During 8th Annual River Day in Lawrence, Stow, Maynard & Fitchburg

Press Release

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas hosted her Eighth Annual River Day this past Saturday, September 13, to celebrate the rivers that connect the Third Congressional District and promote conservation and clean-up efforts.

"Our rivers have served us well for centuries, powering the mills of the industrial revolution, sustaining our health by providing clean drinking water, creating tremendous recreational opportunities, and bringing natural beauty to our daily life. River Day is an event I host each year to bring community members together to celebrate the great role our waterways play in connecting and contributing to the Third Congressional District," said Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. "Each of the River Day stops provided an opportunity to recognize the organizations, volunteers and different levels of government working together to sustain and preserve the integrity of these important resources."

The day began in Lawrence where the Congresswoman participated in the kickoff of Spicket River Cleanup day. Spicket River Cleanup organizers estimated this to be the largest group they've ever had for their annual clean up, with local schools, residents and organizations all taking part in the beautification of the Spicket River Greenway. The Congresswoman joined Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera to start the day, and spent time speaking with the Groundwork Lawrence Green Team and other non-profit organizations working to preserve the region's natural treasures. Congresswoman Tsongas also presented a Certificate of Congressional Recognition to Armand Hyatt for his decades of service to the City of Lawrence and for his efforts to help to establish Lawrence CommunityWorks.

"Congresswoman Tsongas is a critical partner in the revitalization of Lawrence and the community took great pride in her highlighting the Spicket River during her annual River Day," said Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera. "As a symbol of community strength and volunteerism, the Spicket River Cleanup perfectly represents the River Day theme and I thank everyone who turned out for their participation."

Congresswoman Tsongas then headed to the Assabet River in Stow and Maynard where she met with members of the local conservation organization OARS and local volunteers to hear about the myriad of programs they have offered to educate and clean up the Assabet, Concord and Sudbury rivers. The Congresswoman joined volunteers for a paddle along the Assabet River in canoes. The Congresswoman also presented Certificates of Congressional Recognition to local teacher Rochelle Lerner for her work introducing local youth to the benefits of river stewardship, and to local author David Mark for his dedication to protecting the Assabet, Sudbury, and Concord Rivers.

"It is wonderful to see our Congresswoman so engaged with the environmental issues that affect our communities," said Alison Field-Juma, Executive Director of OARS. "We know that we can count on her to seek to fully understand complex issues, and then to do what she can to support everyone's efforts to restore the health of our rivers. She is a woman of action!"

The final stop of the day was in FitchburgatRiverfront Park where the Congresswoman met with third and fifth grade Fitchburg students from the Longsjo Middle School, Memorial Middle School, McKay Arts Academy Innovation Pathways School and Applewild School, to learn about the work they did last year in their River Classrooms and Scientist-in-Residence program. Several students spoke in front of the crowd about their experiences.

In Fitchburg, the Congresswoman also helped present the City of Fitchburg with a $400,000 Brownfield grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to further the city's work at turning polluted urban spaces into green spaces. Riverfront Park was itself once an urban eyesore and contaminated property, but thanks to a Brownfield grant and other funding sources, it is now considered a highlight of the city. Joining the Congresswoman in Fitchburg were Mayor Lisa Wong, State Representative Steve DiNatale and EPA officials.

"Our community is thankful for Congresswoman Tsongas's leadership on legislation to designate the Nashua River as a scenic riverway, especially as we look towards the river to spur excitement, whether it be the youth discovering nature to developers investing in historic mills," said Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong.

In between River Day stops the Congresswoman visited several local farms and farmstands to meet and talk with local farmers and farm workers and sample some of the region's locally grown produce.

Over the past eight years, River Day has made stops in more than a dozen communities around the district, from Lowell and Lawrence to Maynard and Concord and Fitchburg, traversing each of the main rivers that form the region's important network of waterways. Congresswoman Tsongas has met with hundreds of environmentalists, business owners, students, volunteer organizations, local officials and constituents since she began hosting the event to discuss how we can collaboratively protect and enhance these waterways for future generations.

In June, 2014 the House of Representatives passed a bill authored by Congresswoman Niki Tsongas that would take steps toward protecting the Nashua River. The Nashua River Wild and Scenic River Study Act (H.R. 412) authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a study on the Nashua River and two of its tributaries, the Squannacook and Nissitissit Rivers, to determine their eligibility for designation as Wild & Scenic Rivers. The bill passed with unanimous bipartisan support.

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