Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Act

Bill: 114-s-329
Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
Introduced: 2015-02-02 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Connecticut
Lakes and rivers
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-02
text: 

Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Act

 
 Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook in Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
 
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to manage: (1) the river segments in accordance with the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan, dated June 2011; and (2) coordinate the management responsibilities of the Secretary under this Act relating to such segments with the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee. 
 
Makes the provisions of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act prohibiting federal acquisition of lands by condemnation applicable to the designated segments. Limits the authority of the Secretary to acquire lands for the purposes of such segments to acquisition by donation or with the owner's consent and subject to additional management plan criteria. 
 
Prohibits the designation made by this Act from being construed as: (1) prohibiting, pre-empting, or abridging the potential future licensing of the Rainbow Dam and Reservoir (including any and all aspects of its facilities, operations, and transmission lines) by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as a federally licensed hydroelectric generation project; or (2) affecting the operation of, or imposing any flow or release requirements on, the unlicensed hydroelectric facility at the Dam and Reservoir. 
 
Bars the Lower Farmington River from being administered as part of the National Park System or being subject to System regulations.
 
Revises the description of a specified designated segment of the Farmington River in Connecticut.

action_date: 2015-12-16
text: 

Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Act

 
 (Sec. 3) This bill amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate specified segments of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook in Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
 
(Sec. 4) The Department of the Interior shall manage: (1) the river segments according to the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Management Plan, dated June 2011; and (2) coordinate the management responsibilities of Interior under this Act relating to such segments with the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee. 
 
Authorizes Interior to enter into cooperative agreements with: (1) the state of Connecticut; (2) the towns of Avon, Bloomfield, Burlington, East Granby, Farmington, Granby, Hartland, Simsbury, and Windsor in Connecticut; and (3) appropriate local planning and environmental organizations. 
 
For purposes of the segments designated by this Act, the zoning ordinances adopted by the towns, including provisions for the conservation of floodplains, wetlands, and watercourses associated with such segments, shall be deemed to satisfy the Act's standards and requirements limiting or prohibiting federal acquisition of lands by condemnation. 
 
 The authority of Interior to acquire lands for the purposes of such segments shall be limited to acquisition by donation or with the owner's consent and shall be subject to additional management plan criteria. 
 
 The designation made by this Act shall not be construed to prohibit, pre-empt, or abridge the potential future licensing or re-licensing of the Rainbow Dam and Reservoir (including any and all aspects of its facilities, operations, and transmission lines) by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as a federally licensed hydroelectric generation project, provided that FERC may, in its discretion and consistent with this Act, establish any terms and conditions in a hydropower license for the Dam as necessary to reduce impacts that invade or unreasonably diminish the scenic, recreational, and fish and wildlife values of the designated segments. Neither shall the designation affect the operation of, or impose any flow or release requirements on, the unlicensed hydroelectric facility at the Dam and Reservoir. 
 
 The Lower Farmington River shall not be administered as part of the National Park System or be subject to System regulations.
 
(Sec. 5) The bill also revises the description of a specified designated segment of the Farmington River in Connecticut.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-12-16
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 327.
action_date: 2015-12-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-182.
action_date: 2015-12-16
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Murkowski with an amendment. With written report No. 114-182.
action_date: 2015-11-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 114-338.
action_date: 2015-02-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2015-02-02
text: Introduced in Senate