Farmington Wild and Scenic River Act
PL 103-313 (H.R.2815), enacted 08/26/1994

PUBLIC LAW 103-313—AUG. 26, 1994 
108 STAT. 1699 
Public Law 103-313 
103d Congress 
An Act 
To designate a portion of the Farmington River in Connecticut as a component 
Aug. 26, 1994 
of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 
[H.R. 2815] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Farmington 
Wild and Scenic 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
River Act. 
16 u s e 1271 
This Act may be cited as the "Fgirmington Wild and Scenic note 
River Act". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) Public Law 99-590 authorized the study of 2 segments 
of the West Branch of the Farmington River, including an 
11-mile headwater segment in Massachusetts and the upper-
most 14-mile segment in Connecticut, for potential inclusion 
in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and created 
the Farmington River Study Committee, consisting of represent-
atives from the 2 States, the towns bordering the 2 segments, 
and other river interests, to advise the Secretary of the Interior 
in conducting the study and concerning management alter-
natives should the river be included in the National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System; 
(2) the study determined that both segments of the river 
are eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System based upon their free-flowing condition and outstanding 
fisheries, recreation, wildlife, and historic values; 
(3) the towns that directly abut the Connecticut segment 
(Hartland, Barkhamsted, New Hartford, and Canton), as well 
as the Town of Colebrook, which abuts the segment's major 
tributary, have demonstrated their desire for national wild 
and scenic river designation through town meeting actions 
endorsing designation; in addition, the 4 abutting towns have 
demonstrated their commitment to protect the river through 
the adoption of "river protection overlay districts", which estab-
lish a uniform setback for new structures, new septic systems, 
sand and gravel extraction, and vegetation removal along the 
entire length of the Connecticut segment; 
108 STAT. 1700 
PUBLIC LAW 103-313—AUG. 26, 1994 
16 u s e 1274 
note. 
Contracts. 
(4) during the study, the Farmington River Study Commit-
tee and the National Park Service prepared a comprehensive 
management plan for the Connecticut segment (the "Upper 
Farmington River Management Plan", dated April 29, 1993) 
which establishes objectives, standards, and action programs 
that will ensure long-term protection of the river's outstanding 
values and compatible management of its land and water 
resources, without Federal management of affected lands not 
owned by the United States; 
(5) the Farmington River Study Committee voted unani-
mously on April 29, 1993, to adopt the Upper Farmington 
River Management Plan and to recommend that Congress 
include the Connecticut segment in the National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System in accordance with the spirit and provi-
sions of the Upper Farmington River Management Plan, and 
to recommend that, in the absence of town votes supporting 
designation, no action be taken regarding wild and scenic river 
designation of the Massachusetts segment; and 
(6) the Colebrook Dam and Goodwin Dam hydroelectric 
projects are located outside the river segment designated by 
section 3, and based on the study of the Farmington River 
pursuant to Public Law 99-590, continuation of the existing 
operation of these projects as presently configured, including 
associated transmission lines and other existing project works, 
is compatible with the designation made by section 3 and 
will not unreasonably diminish the scenic, recreational, and 
fish and wildlife values of the segment designated by such 
section as of the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION. 
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
1274(a)) is amended by adding the following new paragraph at 
the end thereof: 
"( ) FARMINGTON RIVER, CONNECTICUT.—The 14-mile segment 
of the West Branch and mainstem extending from immediately 
below the Goodwin Dam and Hydroelectric Project in Hartland, 
Connecticut, to the downstream end of the New Hartford-Canton, 
Connecticut, town line (hereinafter in this paragraph referred to 
as the 'segment'), as a recreational river, to be administered by 
the Secretary of the Interior through cooperative agreements 
between the Secretary of the Interior and the State of Connecticut 
and its relevant political subdivisions, namely the Towns of 
Colebrook, Hartland, Barkhamsted, New Hartford, and Canton and 
the Hartford Metropolitan District Commission, pursuant to sec-
tion 10(e) of this Act. The segment shall be managed in accordance 
with the Upper Farmington River Management Plan, dated April 
29, 1993, and such amendments thereto as the Secretary of the 
Interior determines £ire consistent with this Act. Such plan shgdl 
be deemed to satisfy the requirement for a comprehensive manage-
ment plan pursuant to section 3(d) of this Act.". 
S
E
C
. 
4
. 
MANAGEMENT. 
(a) COMMITTEE.—The Director of the National Park Service, 
or his or her designee, shall represent the Secretary on the Farming-
ton River Coordinating Committee provided for in the plan. 
(b) FEDERAL.—(1) In order to provide for the long-term protec-
tion, preservation, and enhancement of the river segment des-
ignated by section 3, the Secretary, pursuant to section 10(e) of 
PUBLIC LAW 103-313—AUG. 26, 1994 
108 STAT. 1701 
the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, shall offer to enter into cooperative 
agreements with the State of Connecticut and its relevant political 
subdivisions identified in the amendment made by such section 
3 and, pursuant to section 11(b)(1) of such Act, shall make a 
similar offer to the Farmington River Watershed Association. The 
Secretary, pursuant to such section 11(b)(1), also may enter into 
cooperative agreements with other parties who may be represented 
on the Committee. All cooperative agreements provided for in this 
Act shall be consistent with the Plan, and may include provisions 
for financial or other assistance from the United States to facilitate 
the long-term protection, conservation, and enhancement of the 
segment designated by such section 3 and the implementation of 
the Plan. 
(2) The Secretary may provide technical assistance, staff sup-
port, and funding to assist in the implementation of the Plan. 
(3) Implementation of this Act through cooperative agreements 
as described in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not constitute 
National Park Service administration of the segment designated 
by section 3 for purposes of section 10(c) of the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act, and shall not cause such segment to be considered 
as being a unit of the National Park System. 
(c) WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS.—(1) In determining whether 
a proposed water resources project would have a direct and adverse 
effect on the values for which the segment designated by section 
3 was included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, 
the Secretary shall specifically consider the extent to which the 
project is consistent with the Plan. 
(2) For purposes of implementation of section 7 of the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act, the Plan, including the detailed analysis 
of instream flow needs incorporated therein and such additional 
analysis as may be incorporated in the future, shall serve as the 
primary source of information regarding the flows needed to main-
tain instream resources and the potential compatibility between 
resource protection and possible water supply withdrawals. 
(d) LAND MANAGEMENT.—^The zoning ordinances duly adopted 
by the towns of Hartland, Barkhamsted, New Hartford, and Canton, 
Connecticut, including the "river protection overlay districts" in 
effect on the date of enactment of this Act, shall be deemed to 
satisfy the standards and requirements of section 6(c) of the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act. For the purpose of section 6(c), such towns 
shall be deemed "villages" and the provisions of that section, which 
prohibit Federal acquisition of lands by condemnation, shgJl apply 
to the segment designated by section 3. 
SEC. 5. DEFmrnONS. 
16 use 1274 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term "Committee" means the Farmington River 
Coordinating Committee referred to in section 4. 
(2) The term "Plan" means the comprehensive management 
plan for the Connecticut segment of the Farmington River 
prepared by the Farmington River Study Committee and the 
National Park Service, which is known as the "Upper Farming-
ton River Management Plan" and dated April 29, 1993. 
(3) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the 
Interior. 
108 STAT. 1702 
PUBLIC LAW 103-313—AUG. 26, 1994 
16 u s e 1274 
SEC. 6. FUNDING AUTHORIZATION. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including 
the amendment to the Wild £ind Scenic Rivers Act made by 
section 3. 
Approved August 26, 1994. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2815: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 103-430 (Ckjmm. on Natural Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 103-278 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 140 (1994): 
Mar. 15, considered and passed House. 
June 16, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Aug. 16, House concurred in Senate amendments.