I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2643 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance in imple-
menting cultural heritage, conservation, and recreational activities in 
the Connecticut River watershed of the States of New Hampshire and 
Vermont. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2009 
Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. HODES) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assist-
ance 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 Representa-
tives 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— 
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(1) the upper Connecticut River watershed in 
the States of New Hampshire and Vermont is a sce-
nic 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 genera-
tion 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, estab-
lished by the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and 
Wildlife Refuge Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd note; Public 
Law 102–212); 
(4) the demonstrated commitment to steward-
ship of the River by the citizens living in the water-
shed 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 bi-State Con-
necticut River Scenic Byway, which was declared a 
National Scenic Byway by the Department of Trans-
portation in 2005 to foster heritage tourism in the 
region; 
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(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 and catalyst 
for cooperation between Federal agencies, 
States, communities, and citizens; 
(7) in 1997, as directed by the legislatures, the 
Connecticut River Joint Commissions, with the sub-
stantial involvement of 5 bi-State local river sub-
committees appointed to represent riverfront towns, 
produced the 6 volume Connecticut River Corridor 
Management Plan, to be used as a blueprint in edu-
cating agencies, communities, and the public in how 
to be good neighbors to a great river; 
(8) in 2009, after 3 years of broad consultation, 
the Connecticut River Joint Commissions have sub-
stantially expanded and published updates via the 
Connecticut River Recreation Management Plan and 
the Water Resources Management Plan to guide 
public and private activities in the watershed; 
(9) through a joint legislative resolution, the 
legislatures of the States of Vermont and New 
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Hampshire have requested that Congress provide for 
continuation of cooperative partnerships and that 
Federal agencies support the Connecticut River 
Joint Commissions in carrying out the recommenda-
tions of the Connecticut River Corridor Management 
Plan; 
(10) this Act effectuates certain recommenda-
tions of the Connecticut River Corridor Management 
Plan that are most appropriately directed by the 
States through the Connecticut River Joint Commis-
sions, with assistance from the National Park Serv-
ice and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; 
and 
(11) where implementation of those rec-
ommendations involves partnership with local com-
munities and organizations, support for the partner-
ship should be provided by the Secretary. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author-
ize the Secretary to provide to the States of New Hamp-
shire and Vermont (including communities in those 
States), through the Connecticut River Joint Commis-
sions, technical and financial assistance for management 
of the River. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) RIVER.—The term ‘‘River’’ means the Con-
necticut River. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means— 
(A) the State of New Hampshire; or 
(B) the State of Vermont. 
SEC. 4. CONNECTICUT RIVER GRANTS AND TECHNICAL AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
Connecticut River Grants and Technical Assistance Pro-
gram 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, rec-
reational, and natural resources in the upper 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.— 
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(1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of carrying out a grant project under sub-
section (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 an in-kind contribution of services or mate-
rials. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act $1,000,000 for each fiscal year. 
Æ 
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