[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 301 Referred in House (RFH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 301
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 27, 2005
Referred to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance in
implementing cultural heritage, conservation, and recreational
activities in the Connecticut River watershed of the States of New
Hampshire and Vermont.
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 ``Upper Connecticut River Partnership
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the upper Connecticut River watershed in the States of
New Hampshire and Vermont is a scenic region of historic
villages located in a working landscape of farms, forests, and
the mountainous headwaters and broad fertile floodplains of New
England's longest river, the Connecticut River;
(2) the River provides outstanding fish and wildlife
habitat, recreation, and hydropower generation for the New
England region;
(3) the upper Connecticut River watershed has been
recognized by Congress as part of the Silvio O. Conte National
Fish and Wildlife Refuge, established by the Silvio O. Conte
National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd note;
Public Law 102-212);
(4) the demonstrated interest in stewardship of the River
by the citizens living in the watershed led to the Presidential
designation of the River as 1 of 14 American Heritage Rivers on
July 30, 1998;
(5) the River is home to the bistate Connecticut River
Scenic Byway, which will foster heritage tourism in the region;
(6) each of the legislatures of the States of Vermont and
New Hampshire has established a commission for the Connecticut
River watershed, and the 2 commissions, known collectively as
the ``Connecticut River Joint Commissions''--
(A) have worked together since 1989; and
(B) serve as the focal point for cooperation
between Federal agencies, States, communities, and
citizens;
(7) in 1997, as directed by the legislatures, the
Connecticut River Joint Commissions, with the substantial
involvement of 5 bistate local river subcommittees appointed to
represent riverfront towns, produced the 6-volume Connecticut
River Corridor Management Plan, to be used as a blueprint in
educating agencies, communities, and the public in how to be
good neighbors to a great river;
(8) this year, by Joint Legislative Resolution, the
legislatures have requested that Congress provide for
continuation of cooperative partnerships and support for the
Connecticut River Joint Commissions from the New England
Federal Partners for Natural Resources, a consortium of Federal
agencies, in carrying out recommendations of the Connecticut
River Corridor Management Plan;
(9) this Act effectuates certain recommendations of the
Connecticut River Corridor Management Plan that are most
appropriately directed by the States through the Connecticut
River Joint Commissions, with assistance from the National Park
Service and United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and
(10) where implementation of those recommendations involves
partnership with local communities and organizations, support
for the partnership should be provided by the Secretary.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize the Secretary
to provide to the States of New Hampshire and Vermont (including
communities in those States), through the Connecticut River Joint
Commissions, technical and financial assistance for management of the
River.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(2) State.--The term ``State'' means--
(A) the State of New Hampshire; or
(B) the State of Vermont.
SEC. 4. CONNECTICUT RIVER GRANTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a Connecticut River
Grants and Technical Assistance Program to provide grants and technical
assistance to State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and
the private sector to carry out projects for the conservation,
restoration, and interpretation of historic, cultural, recreational,
and natural resources in the Connecticut River watershed.
(b) Criteria.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Connecticut
River Joint Commissions, shall develop criteria for determining the
eligibility of applicants for, and reviewing and prioritizing
applications for, grants or technical assistance under the program.
(c) Cost-sharing.--
(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of
carrying out a grant project under subsection (a) shall not
exceed 75 percent.
(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost
of a project may be provided in the form of in-kind
contributions of services or materials.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2015.
Passed the Senate July 26, 2005.
Attest:
EMILY J. REYNOLDS,
Secretary.