II 

Calendar No. 33 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 301 

[Report No. 109–22] 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 7, 2005 

Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. JEFFORDS, Mr. GREGG, and Mr. SUNUNU) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

MARCH 8, 2005 

Reported by Mr. DOMENICI, with an amendment 

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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•S 301 RS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Upper Connecticut 

3 River Partnership Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

5 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

6 (1) the upper Connecticut River watershed in 

7 the States of New Hampshire and Vermont is a sce8 nic region of historic villages located in a working 

9 landscape of farms, forests, and the mountainous 

10 headwaters and broad fertile floodplains of New 

11 England’s longest river, the Connecticut River; 

12 (2) the River provides outstanding fish and 

13 wildlife habitat, recreation, and hydropower genera14 tion for the New England region; 

15 (3) the upper Connecticut River watershed has 

16 been recognized by Congress as part of the Silvio O. 

17 Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, estab18 lished by the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and 

19 Wildlife Refuge Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd note; Public 

20 Law 102–212); 

21 (4) the demonstrated interest in stewardship of 

22 the River by the citizens living in the watershed led 

23 to the Presidential designation of the River as 1 of 

24 14 American Heritage Rivers on July 30, 1998; 
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•S 301 RS

1 (5) the River is home to the bistate Connecticut 

2 River Scenic Byway, which will foster heritage tour3 ism in the region; 

4 (6) each of the legislatures of the States of 

5 Vermont and New Hampshire has established a 

6 commission for the Connecticut River watershed, 

7 and the 2 commissions, known collectively as the 

8 ‘‘Connecticut River Joint Commissions’’— 

9 (A) have worked together since 1989; and 

10 (B) serve as the focal point for cooperation 

11 between Federal agencies, States, communities, 

12 and citizens; 

13 (7) in 1997, as directed by the legislatures, the 

14 Connecticut River Joint Commissions, with the sub15 stantial involvement of 5 bistate local river sub16 committees appointed to represent riverfront towns, 

17 produced the 6-volume Connecticut River Corridor 

18 Management Plan, to be used as a blueprint in edu19 cating agencies, communities, and the public in how 

20 to be good neighbors to a great river; 

21 (8) this year, by Joint Legislative Resolution, 

22 the legislatures have requested that Congress pro23 vide for continuation of cooperative partnerships and 

24 support for the Connecticut River Joint Commis25 sions from the New England Federal Partners for 
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•S 301 RS

1 Natural Resources, a consortium of Federal agen2 cies, in carrying out recommendations of the Con3 necticut River Corridor Management Plan; 

4 (9) this Act effectuates certain recommenda5 tions of the Connecticut River Corridor Management 

6 Plan that are most appropriately directed by the 

7 States through the Connecticut River Joint Commis8 sions, with assistance from the National Park Serv9 ice and United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and 

10 (10) where implementation of those rec11 ommendations involves partnership with local com12 munities and organizations, support for the partner13 ship should be provided by the Secretary. 

14 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author15 ize the Secretary to provide to the States of New Hamp16 shire and Vermont (including communities in those 

17 States), through the Connecticut River Joint Commis18 sions, technical and financial assistance for management 

19 of the River. 

20 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

21 In this Act: 

22 (1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of the Interior. 

24 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 

25 (A) the State of New Hampshire; or 
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1 (B) the State of Vermont. 

2 SEC. 4. CONNECTICUT RIVER GRANTS AND TECHNICAL AS3 SISTANCE PROGRAM. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 

5 Connecticut River Grants and Technical Assistance Pro6 gram to provide grants and technical assistance to State 

7 and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and the 

8 private sector to carry out projects for the conservation, 

9 restoration, and interpretation of historic, cultural, rec10 reational, and natural resources in the Connecticut River 

11 watershed. 

12 (b) CRITERIA.—The Secretary, in consultation with 

13 the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, shall develop 

14 criteria for determining the eligibility of applicants for, 

15 and reviewing and prioritizing applications for, grants or 

16 technical assistance under the program. 

17 (c) COST-SHARING.— 

18 (1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 

19 the cost of carrying out a grant project under sub20 section (a) shall not exceed 75 percent. 

21 (2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal 

22 share of the cost of a project may be provided in the 

23 form of in-kind contributions of services or mate24 rials. 
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1 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

3 this Act $1,000,000 for each fiscal year for each of fiscal 

4 years 2006 through 2015. 

Calendar No. 33 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 301 

[Report No. 109–22] 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to proNew Hampshire and Vermont. Connecticut River watershed of the States of conservation, and recreational activities in the vide assistance in implementing cultural heritage, 

MARCH 8, 2005 

Reported with an amendment