Bill > HR949

This bill amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to initiate a comprehensive study of the Hatchie River in Tennessee for potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Specifically, the bill designates an approximately 163-mile segment of the river, stretching from the Mississippi-Tennessee state line to its confluence with the Mississippi River, for detailed evaluation. The Secretary of the Interior is required to complete the study within 3 years of receiving funding and submit a report to congressional committees. A unique aspect of this study is that the Secretary must specifically identify opportunities for administering the river segment through partnerships with state, regional, local, and community stakeholders. The Wild and Scenic Rivers System is a federal conservation program that preserves certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition, protecting them from future development that would diminish their remarkable characteristics. By conducting this study, the bill takes the first step toward potentially protecting this segment of the Hatchie River and ensuring its ecological and cultural significance is recognized and preserved.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/949/all-info