Santa Claus came early for lovers of the Musconetcong
River. On December 22, 2006, the President signed into law bill
S. 1096, the "Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act," which
designates portions of the Musconetcong River as a component of
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. News of the signing
brought excited telephone calls and e-mail messages of congratulations
from supporters of the designation from Maine to Alaska.
The bill passed the Senate in December of 2005 and
passed the House in July of 2006. The final step, passage of the
Senate bill by the House to ensure that identical legislation
is recorded in both houses, occurred at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday
December 9, just hours before the end of the 109th Congress. The
Musconetcong Watershed Association is grateful to Congressman
Scott Garrett and his staff for working diligently to achieve
this last minute passage. Congressman Garrett sponsored the bill
in the House with co-sponsors Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen
and Mike Ferguson. The Senate bill was introduced by then-Senator
Jon S. Corzine and co-sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg. The
signing of S 1096 makes two separate segments of the Musconetcong
River, a total of 24.2 miles, a part of the National Wild and
Scenic River System.
In addition to the elected representatives mentioned
above, the designation effort, while led by the Musconetcong Watershed
Association, could not have occurred without the hard work of
citizens, municipal representatives, representatives from each
of the four counties, Heritage Conservancy, the National Parks
Service, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Watershed Management, Division of Fish and Wildlife,
Division of Parks and Forestry and other non-governmental organizations
that aided the fifteen year-long process
See map below to view segments that were judged
eligible after the 1999-2003 Study. Please note that while Segment
C was found eligible, it was not designated because of a lack
of support for the designation in Pohatcong Township.
Segment A: Saxton Falls to the Rt. 46 Bridge - 3.5
miles, Classification: Scenic;
Segment B: Kings Highway Bridge to the railroad
tunnels at Musconetcong Gorge - 20.7 miles Classification: Recreational;
Segment C: Hughesville Mill to Delaware River confluence
- 4.3 miles Classification: Recreational.
Based on demonstrated local support for designating
the eligible river segments, support for the goals of the River
Management Plan, and adequate river resource protection measures
at the state, county and local levels, Musconetcong River segments
A and B were deemed suitable for inclusion into the National Wild
and Scenic River system. Segment C was deemed not suitable for
inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system because
of a lack of support in Pohatcong Township. However, because the
segment was judged eligible during the study, inclusion of Segment
C into the system will be possible if a resolution of support
is passed in the future. A complete explanation of eligibility
and the rationale behind classification of segments, follow the
link to the River Management Plan above.
December 9, 2006
Break out the champagne!!!!!!!
Pending the President's signature, 24 miles of the
Musconetcong River will become a part of the National Wild and
Scenic River System.
Congressman Garrett and his staff were able to have
the bill passed in the very last hours before Congress adjourned,
saving us a 2007 reintroduction. Details of the significance of
this wonderful, exciting, fantastic news will be discussed in
a Special Edition of the Musconetcong River News.
The following message was received from Congressman
Scott Garrett’s aide Andrew Wimer at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday December
9th:
“The senate bill was passed by unanimous
consent at 2:00 in the morning last night. You can pop those bottles
of champagne and hand out those tee shirts. I'll talk to you on
Monday and we'll start coordinating our event with Sec. Kempthorne.
Thank you for all the hard work you've put in over the years to
make this happen. Have a great weekend.”
Summer 2006 Update
(168 and holding...)
On Monday July 24, 2006, the Wild and Scenic Rivers
bill (HR 1307) was voted on and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House bill was introduced in 2004 by Congressman Scott Garrett
and cosponsored by Congressman Michael Ferguson and Congressman
Rodney Frelinghuysen. On December 18, 2005, the Senate bill (S
1096) passed unanimously in the Senate. The Senate Bill S1096
was introduced in 2005 by then Senator Jon S. Corzine and cosponsored
by Senator Frank Lautenberg.
The bill that was passed in the House will return
to the Senate for a "unanimous consent" vote. In this process
the House and the Senate confirm that they have passed the identical
bill. The bill then receives a new bill number and is then ready
for the President's signature. After which, the Musconetcong
River will become the 169th member of the National Wild and Scenic
River System!
Spring 2006 Update
On March 6, 2006, the Wild and Scenic River bill
(HR1307) reintroduced by Congressman Garrett cleared "markup"
in the House Resource Committee and was reported on favorably
by the Committee. The next step is to get the bill to the floor
for a vote by all of the members of Congress. According to an
aide to the congressman, "Congressman Garrett …will continue to
work with members and staff to hopefully get the bill the rest
of the way through the process as quickly as possible because
it remains one of Congressman Garrett's top priorities."
Winter 2005 Update
On December 18th, 2005, bill S1096 to amend the
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate portions of the Musconetcong
River as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system
passed unanimously in the Senate. We are hoping for the same result
in the House very soon. The MWA is very optimistic that the river
will receive this prestigious recognition in 2006.
Fall 2005 Update
Remarkable Progress on the Wild and Scenic Designation
In the last edition of the Musconetcong River News
it was reported that Senator Jon S. Corzine had introduced a bill
in the US Senate to have the Musconetcong designated a Wild and
Scenic River. Exciting news followed when the MWA received a phone
call to say that the Wild and Scenic bill would be heard before
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee
on National Parks in September. It can take a year or more after
introduction, to have a bill heard, and this bill had taken only
three months.
On September 22nd, MWA President Bill Leavens, Musconetcong
Advisory Committee Chair Susan Dickey, and MWA Executive Director
Beth Styler Barry traveled to Washington D.C. Styler Barry appeared
as a witness before the Senate Subcommittee and gave testimony
in support of bill S1096 to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
to designate portions of the Musconetcong River as a component
of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. More good news
followed in late October when we received news that the House
bill HR 1307 would be heard by the House Committee on Resources,
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands on
November 10th. This companion bill had been introduced in the
House of Representatives by Congressman Scott Garrett in March
of 2004.
On this second visit to Washington DC, Leavens,
Dickey and Styler Barry were accompanied by MWA Trustee Stuart
Shafran (Photo below.). At the House hearing Susan Dickey, founding
MWA member and advocate of the Wild and Scenic effort, appeared
as the witness. Passage of the bill cannot occur without hearings
in both houses of Congress. For the ongoing W&S efforts, 2005
has been a remarkable year, as several events critical steps in
the process have been completed.
Click the links below to read the testimonies given
by Senator Jon S. Corzine, Executive Director Beth Styler Barry,
Dr. Janet Snyder Mathews, Associate Director for Cultural Resources,
National Park Service, Congressman Scott Garrett and Musconetcong
Advisory Committee Chair Susan Dickey.
Rep. Jim Saxton's
Testimony
Congressman
Scott Garrett
Senator
Jon S. Corzine
Statement
of Beth Styler Barry, Executive Director, Musconetcong Watershed
Association
Statement
of Susan Dickey, Chairwoman, Musconetcong Advisory Committee
Statement
of Janet Snyder Matthews, Associate Director For Cultural
Resources, National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Please see the Wild and Scenic Timeline for an
abbreviated history of the 14 year long effort by the Musconetcong
Watershed Association, National Park Service, county and state
officials, major industries, Heritage Conservancy, Highlands Coalition,
Trout Unlimited, river front property owners and other interested
citizens to have the Musconetcong River designated as part of
the National Wild and Scenic River System .
Wild and Scenic Timeline
1991 Concerned citizens began calling for
the protection of the Musconetcong River under the National Wild
and Scenic Rivers System.
1992 The Musconetcong Watershed Association
(MWA) was incorporated as a 501(c)3.
1993 The MWA and the National Park Service
(NPS) organized Roundtable Meetings to discuss issues associated
with the Musconetcong River's inclusion in the Wild and Scenic
system.
1995 The New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (NJDEP) Office of Natural Lands Management recommended
to the NPs that the Musconetcong River be included in the Nationwide
Rivers Inventory of "candidate" rivers that are considered to
have the appropriate characteristics for wild and scenic designation.
1997 Eighteen of the nineteen municipalities
along the river voted to request the NPs to study the Musconetcong
River to determine its eligibility and suitability for inclusion
in the National System.
1998 The Musconetcong Advisory Committee,
consisting of municipal representatives was formed to work with
the NPs and the Musconetcong Watershed Association in completing
the National Wild and Scenic study and to conduct the Resource
Assessment, Eligibility & Classification Report.
1999 Eligibility & Classification Report
is completed and finds that three segments of the river, representing
28.5 miles of river, were eligible for inclusion in the National
Wild and Scenic Rivers System based on flow characteristics and
natural and cultural resources.
2004 The House Bill HR 1307 is introduced
in the House of Representatives on March 13th, 2004 by Congressman
Scott Garrett and cosponsored by Congressman Michael Ferguson
and Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen.
2005 The Senate Bill S1096 was introduced
on May 23rd, 2005 by Senator Jon S. Corzine and cosponsored by
Senator Frank Lautenberg. Both houses of Congress hear testimony
on the Wild and Scenic bill, the Senate on September 22nd and
the House on November 10th.
Spring 2005 Update
On May 21st Senator Jon Corzine introduced the companion
legislation to Congressman Scott Garrett's bill into the Senate.
The Senator's press release appears below.
US Senator Jon S. Corzine (D-N.J.) today introduced
legislation that would add 24 miles of the Musconetcong River
to the National Wild and Scenic River System. The Musconetcong
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, sponsored in the House by US Representative
Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.), would add the river to a national
system of protected waterways, thereby making it eligible for
millions of dollars in federal preservation support. “The Musconetcong
is a natural treasure, and one that deserves our every effort
to preserve. This legislation is a necessary step to ensure that
future generations can experience what New Jerseyans have always
enjoyed: access to a pristine, scenic waterway. Many of the municipalities
along the river lack the financial resources to adequately protect
it for our children,” said Corzine. “That is why this Act is so
important.” “This bill will preserve, restore and enhance the
outstanding natural resources in the river corridor, including
the rare species, floodplains, headwaters and wetlands,” said
Garrett. “This designation protects the existing tributaries,
and allows for development that is not damaging to the resources
of the river, or the free-flow of the river's current.” “We must
do all we can to see that the natural beauty of the Musconetcong
River is preserved for future generations of New Jerseyans to
enjoy,” said Senator Frank Lautenberg, an original co-sponsor
of the bill. The House version of the bill has bipartisan support
from Representatives Robert Andrews (D-1st Dist.), James Saxton
(R-3rd Dist.), Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), Michael Ferguson (R-7th
Dist.), Donald Payne (D-10th Dist.), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11th
Dist.), and Robert Menendez (D-13th Dist.). Corzine and Garrett's
legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to manage the
river in accordance with the Musconetcong River Management Plan,
a strategy created by state and local governments and non-profit
organizations to protect the river and balance competing demands
on its resources. The plan outlines several objectives for protecting
the river, which include maintaining and improving water quality,
guarding fisheries, protecting scenic vistas, and enhancing public
access to the river for recreation. Eighteen municipalities and
three counties along the river have passed resolutions supporting
the Musconetcong River Management Plan. The bill also directs
the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate with several organizations
and agencies, including the Musconetcong River Management Committee,
the Musconetcong Watershed Association, the Heritage Conservancy,
the National Park Service, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection. The bill now heads to the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, of which Corzine is a member. The Musconetcong
River is a 43-mile river that runs westward from Lake Musconetcong
to the Delaware River at Reiglesville. It provides many ecological,
recreational and scenic benefits to the northwestern portion of
New Jersey. It is also home to a number of archeological sites
and other historic areas, including a site in Warren County where
scientists have discovered stone knives and other weapons dating
back ten thousand years or more. In addition, it feeds aquifers
that provide many residents in Hunterdon and Warren counties with
quality drinking water.
Winter 2005 Update
Wild and Scenic Bill
reintroduced March 15th 2005!
The Musconetcong Watershed Association has asked Congressman
Scott Garrett to reintroduce the bill to amend the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act to include the Musconetcong River into the current
session of Congress. Reintroduction is necessary as all pending
bills expired when Congress adjourned in December. It is hoped
that the bill will be reviewed by the House Committee on Resources
in 2005, at which time members of the Musconetcong Advisory Committee
will likely be called upon to testify in Washington. As progress
continues in the House, the Musconetcong Advisory Committee will
begin to seek support to move the bill through the Senate.
An important milestone was passed recently when the National
Park Service released the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Final
Study Report and River Management Plan to watershed municipalities
and Sussex, Morris Hunterdon and Warren counties. These documents,
which took several years to produce, were developed as part of
a public planning process and finalized in 2004. The Study Report
and Management Plan were prepared by the Musconetcong Advisory
Committee which is comprised of municipal representatives, the
Musconetcong Watershed Association, the National Park Service
and Heritage Conservancy staff.
Summer 2004 Update
Wild & Scenic Bill Introduced
Congressman Scott Garrett held a press conference
at Hackettstown Park on March 19th to announce his introduction
of legislation that would designate the Musconetcong to the Wild
and Scenic River System. Over 50 local county and state officials,
members of the media and MWA supporters braved bone-chilling snowy
morning to receive the news that MWA' decade long effort to secure
the designation had reached an important milestone. The legislation
was cosponsored by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen and Congressman
Michael Ferguson.
MWA has invested countless volunteer and staff hours
working with our many partners to secure a wild and scenic designation
for the Musconetcong. When the Musconetcong is designated the
MWA, local municipalities and other nonprofit organizations will
be eligible for funding to implement the River Management Plan.
Moreover the National Park Service will be required to review
projects in or along the river that need federal permits or use
federal funding.
MWA thanks our congressional delegation for supporting
this effort!
More background
Information on W&S designation
