Housatonic Wild and Scenic River Act of 2022
Bill: S.4122 | Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher (D-CT)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Housatonic Wild and Scenic River Act of 2022
This bill designates specified segments of the Housatonic River in Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
The designation of the river segments must not impact or alter the existing terms of permitting, licensing, or operation of
The designation of the river segments must also not preclude the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from licensing, relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the operation or continued operation of those facilities.
The authority of the Department of the Interior to acquire lands for the river segments shall be
No land or interest in land may be acquired for the river segments by condemnation.

To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments 
 of the Housatonic River in the State of Connecticut as components of 
  the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Housatonic Wild and Scenic River Act 
of 2022''.

SEC. 2. HOUSATONIC WILD AND SCENIC RIVER, CONNECTICUT.

    (a) Amendments to Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.--Section 3(a) of the 
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
            ``(231) Housatonic river, connecticut.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The following segments of the 
                Housatonic River in the State of Connecticut, to be 
                administered by the Secretary of the Interior:
                            ``(i) The approximately 14.9-mile segment 
                        from the Massachusetts-Connecticut boundary to 
                        the covered bridge in West Cornwall, as a 
                        scenic river.
                            ``(ii) The approximately 4.1-mile segment 
                        from the covered bridge in West Cornwall to the 
                        Cornwall Bridge, as a recreational river.
                            ``(iii) The approximately 9.1-mile segment 
                        from the Cornwall Bridge to the Route 341 
                        bridge in Kent, as a scenic river.
                            ``(iv) The approximately 12.2-mile segment 
                        from the Route 341 bridge in Kent to the 
                        Boardman Bridge in New Milford, as a 
                        recreational river.
                    ``(B) Effects on hydroelectric facilities.--The 
                designation of the river segments in subparagraph (A) 
                shall not--
                            ``(i) impact or alter the existing terms of 
                        permitting, licensing, or operation of--
                                    ``(I) the Falls Village 
                                Hydroelectric Generating Station 
                                located in Falls Village, Connecticut 
                                (FERC P-2576); or
                                    ``(II) the Bulls Bridge 
                                Hydroelectric Generating Station 
                                located in New Milford, Connecticut 
                                (FERC P-2576); or
                            ``(ii) preclude the Federal Energy 
                        Regulatory Commission from licensing, 
                        relicensing, or otherwise authorizing the 
                        operation or continued operation of the 
                        facilities named in clause (i).''.
    (b) Management.--
            (1) Process.--The Housatonic River segments shall be 
        managed in accordance with--
                    (A) the Management Plan; and
                    (B) such amendments to the Management Plan as the 
                Secretary determines are consistent with this Act and 
                the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et 
                seq.).
            (2) Comprehensive management plan.--The Management Plan 
        shall be considered to satisfy the requirements for a 
        comprehensive management plan under section 3(d) of the Wild 
        and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)).
            (3) Cooperative management.--
                    (A) In general.--To provide for long-term 
                protection, preservation, and enhancement of the 
                Housatonic River segments, the Secretary shall 
                coordinate management responsibilities under this Act, 
                and may enter into cooperative agreements pursuant to 
                sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild and Scenic 
                Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e) and 1282(b)(1)), with--
                            (i) the State of Connecticut;
                            (ii) the towns of Sharon, Canaan, Cornwall, 
                        Salisbury, New Milford, Kent, and North Canaan, 
                        Connecticut; and
                            (iii) appropriate planning, environmental, 
                        and recreational organizations, including--
                                    (I) local, regional, State, and 
                                multistate organizations; and
                                    (II) any other appropriate 
                                organizations, as determined by the 
                                Housatonic River Commission, or its 
                                successor organization, as defined in 
                                the Management Plan.
                    (B) Cooperative agreements.--Each cooperative 
                agreement entered into under this paragraph shall be 
                consistent with the Management Plan and may include 
                provisions for financial or other assistance from the 
                United States.
            (4) Zoning ordinances.--For the purposes of the Housatonic 
        River segments, the zoning ordinances adopted by the 
        municipalities named in paragraph (3)(A)(ii) shall be deemed to 
        satisfy the standards and requirements of section 6(c) of the 
        Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1277(c)).
            (5) Acquisition of lands.--The authority of the Secretary 
        to acquire lands for the Housatonic River segments shall be--
                    (A) limited to acquisition by donation or 
                acquisition with the consent of the owner thereof; and
                    (B) subject to the additional criteria set forth in 
                the Management Plan.
            (6) No condemnation.--No land or interest in land may be 
        acquired for the Housatonic River segments by condemnation.
            (7) Relation to the national park system.--Notwithstanding 
        section 10(c) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
        1281(c)), the Housatonic River segments shall not be--
                    (A) administered as a part or unit of the National 
                Park System; or
                    (B) subject to regulations that govern the National 
                Park System.
            (8) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    (A) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
                Secretary of the Interior.
                    (B) Management plan.--The term ``Management Plan'' 
                means the Housatonic River Management Plan, dated 
                September 2006.
                    (C) Housatonic river segments.--The term 
                ``Housatonic River segments'' means the river segments 
                designated by the amendments made by section 2(a).
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