House Subcommittee Should Pass River and Watershed Safeguards

The Pew Charitable Trusts, in comments submitted for a Nov. 9 hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining, encouraged quick passage of four river and watershed conservation bills. 

The four bills are H.R. 980, the Southwestern Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act; H.R. 1469, the York River [Maine] Wild and Scenic River Act; H.R. 4358, the Little Manatee [Florida] Wild and Scenic River Act; and H.R. 4404, the Kissimmee River [Florida] Wild and Scenic River Act. If enacted, they would permanently protect more than 250 miles of rivers across the three states; help ensure clean drinking water; support healthy populations of salmon, smelt, manatee, and other fish and wildlife; and benefit local economies that depend on these resources for food and outdoor recreation.