American Heritage Rivers Updates, Volume 2 Number 5, August, 1999

American Heritage Rivers Updates 

                                                          Volume 2 Number 5

                                                                 August, 1999

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!  The end of July marked the first anniversary of the President’s formal designation of the 14 American Heritage Rivers.  Feelings about it were best expressed by Patrick Woodie, the executive director of the New River Community Partners.  Patrick was one of the leaders in developing the New River's nomination and was extremely helpful in arranging many of the exciting activities on July 30, 1998.  He wrote:"...one year ago today we were running around like chickens with our heads cut off!!  Today is the first anniversary of the President and Vice-President's visit.  Wow, a lot has happened in a year, and all of it has been good!"

In honor of the occasion, special events were scheduled both the Potomac River and Lower Mississippi River.  A week before, the Blackstone/Woonasquatucket and Connecticut Rivers held events.  More are scheduled at other rivers throughout the summer and into the fall.  Events are great opportunities to bring people together and to highlight these wonderful places and the exciting work that is being done.  (For details, see the individual river updates below).

RIVER UPDATES

Note: To jump to the update for a particular river, click on one of the following. Blackstone-Woonasquatucket, Connecticut, Cuyahoga, Detroit, Hanalei, Hudson, Lower Mississippi, New, Potomac, Rio Grande, St. Johns, Upper Mississippi, Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna, Willamette. 

To go to the separate web page for each of the rivers, click on the capitalized headings below.  To look at past issues of these updates, click on Archives at the bottom of the page.

BLACKSTONE-WOONASQUATUCKET 

On July 19, 1999, at the Massachusetts/ Rhode Island border(Blackstone, MA), the Blackstone river hosted over 200 citizens for the signing of the partnership agreement between the river communities and their 13 federal partners. The keynote speakers for the event stressed the importance of the partnership and the critical role the communities play in focusing concerns along the rivers that need support from their state and federal partners. 

Featured speakers were Senator John Chafee (R-RI), Representative Jim McGovern, (D-MA), and Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty. Others included Bob Durand (MA Secretary of the Environment), Jan Reitsma (RI Director of Environmental Management), Ted Sanderson for the Blackstone, Jane Sherman for the Woonasquatucket, John DeVillars, regional administrator for EPA, and Loretta Neumann, director of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. 

John DeVillars introduced Johanna Hunter, River Navigator for the Blackstone- Woonasquatucket and Dan Burke, River Navigator for the Connecticut River. He also announced approximately $240,000 in EPA grants for both rivers. “These grants are a vital part of the next key step for the communities, the river navigator, and the pilots in forging their alliance and review of projects developed by the communities,” Johanna Hunter said. 

CONNECTICUT

Vice President Al Gore participated in a ceremony to celebrate the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Connecticut River Action Plan in Cornish, New Hampshire on July 22. The Action Plan identifies 29 projects in the Watershed directed toward environmental protection, economic development, and cultural preservation. Signatories of the MOU included 21 community project sponsor organizations, administrators of 14 Regional federal agencies, and the Governors of the 4 watershed states. 

Vice President Gore announced $819,000 in federal grants would be coming to the Connecticut River Watershed this year from a variety of federal agencies to help the community partners move forward with their projects.  He emphasized the link between environmental health and economic prosperity:  “We are proving time and time again that environmental protection and economic growth are not opposed, that they go hand in hand....We can do well by doing good,” he said. 

Whitty Sanford, director of the Connecticut River Watershed Council, presented the Vice President with a large map of the four-state Connecticut River watershed. Other speakers were New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, EPA Region I Administrator John Devillars, and Connecticut River Joint Commission Director Sharon Francis.  

Vice President Gore also introduced and “officially designated” Connecticut River Navigator Dan Burke, an employee of the Environmental Protection Agency in EPA’s Region I (northeast region).  During his visit to the river, the Vice President saw a bald eagle flying overhead. A generation ago, there were no bald eagles in the Connecticut River Valley.  “Today more than a dozen pairs of eagles nest in the four states that make up the valley,” Dan Burke said. “The eagles that survive and thrive in the River Valley today serve not only as a patriotic sign of life coming back to New England’s largest river, but also as an indicator of how much has been done by the community and Government partners to restore and enhance this vital resource.”

Dan stressed that much of the work still lies ahead.  More than 130 Municipal Combined Sewer Overflows continue to dump millions of gallons of sewage a year into the Connecticut River.  River bank erosion in the Vermont and New Hampshire reaches of the River has increased threefold since 1979.  Even as the direct sources of pollution are eliminated, runoff from farms and cities in the valley continue to contaminate the waterway. “In short, the work ahead is daunting, but the reasons for optimism are many,” he said.

Individual communities along with organizations such as the Connecticut River Watershed Council and the Connecticut River Joint Commissions have for years worked to win grants, pass legislation, and educate the public in their efforts to restore and preserve the River. Several successful projects are already underway.  The city of Hartford spent $36 million in the last 16 years to make the river more accessible to residents and tourists.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service has created new pathways for salmon and shad to spawn upstream. 

CUYAHOGA RIVER

The vacancy for the River Navigator position closed on June 29, and the Forest Service, the sponsoring federal agency, received 31 applications.  Work is now underway evaluating the list of candidates.  The Forest Service and Community Partners plan to interview the top candidates soon.  Ed Radnor, the director of the Northeast Region, State and Private Forestry, will make the final decision. The Forest Service hopes to announce the River Navigator before the end of August.

The Marina Operators Association of America (MOAA) launched its National Clean Boating Week campaign July 10 with ceremonies along the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio.  Kay Carlson, director of the Cuyahoga Community Partners, participated along with others representing the Cuyahoga Remedial Action Plan.  Edith Chase, chairman of the Cuyahoga Community Partners, and Loretta Neumann, director of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, were among the speakers featured on the program.  Loretta thanked the MOAA and its executive Director Jim Frye for their partnering efforts with several American Heritage Rivers. 

During July, Karen Sykes, the interim River Navigator (on loan from the USDA Forest Service), opened an office at the National Park Service headquarters in the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. “This is temporary until another building is refurbished to accommodate the River Navigator as well as other groups,” Karen said.  Karen drafted a Memorandum of Understanding for the Forest Service and the Cuyahoga Partners, which was discussed at a meeting on August 3. 

DETROIT RIVER

Detroit River Navigator John Hartig was praised by The Detroit Free Press in an article August 2,1999 for his more than 20 years of experience with the Great Lakes, while teaching environmental management at Wayne State University. John’s work on the Detroit’s Rouge River 15 years ago when it was one of the country's most polluted bodies of water was also highlighted. David Sanders, vice president of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), one of the sponsoring organizations for the Detroit American Heritage River was also quoted in the article. 

One of the priority river projects for the Detroit River is restoration of historic Fort Wayne.  It was the third American fort built in the early 19th Century because of tensions with the British in North America. It was used during the Civil Wars and both World Wars. Later, it was one of the largest induction centers during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.  Strategically located at a bend in the Detroit River, it comprises over 83 acres and contains about 200 structures.  It is also adjacent to an empowerment zone and next to a Corps of Engineers site, which together could create a delightful as well as historic one-mile riverfront. 

HANALEI 

 “Aloha!” greets Johanna Ventura, administrative assistant  for the Hanalei River. “Last month, we interpreted the word “Hui,” which not only means a group or gathering with a common purpose but also means to join or unite when used as a verb.  The Hanalei Hui has been focusing on doing just that---we have formed work groups to discuss project development of specific river concerns.”

According to Johanna, the most exciting and comprehensive of these groups is the Ahupuaa Vision Group.  An Ahupuaa is the Hawaiian word that comes closest to meaning watershed.  The Hawaiians were masters of land and resource management through their concept of the Ahupuaa land division- a division that starts at the source (top of the mountain) and ends at the sea.  Through generations of trial and error, Hawaiians developed extensive techniques that allowed Hawaii’s pre-contact population to live sustainably off of land and sea.  In Hanalei, the Hui will develop a vision of the Ahupuaa that focuses on bringing back the management practices that Hawaiian’s employed to accomplish sustainability.  They also plan how to manage the impact modern day living has on Hawaii’s natural resources.  Eco-tourism development, a word that evokes both hope and skepticism, likely will be a focus of this group.

The Water Quality work group will be holding a workshop in August to learn what studies have already been done and define what potential contaminants are likely to be of concern in the river.  Several different presentations will address how to identify water quality problems and how to structure testing protocols.

Other work groups formed in July are Road Planning and Fund Raising/Grant-writing, which are still being organized.  An existing group, Riverwatch, will be researching specific current problems, which are sometimes situational, such as the river jumping its banks and diverting away from an important agricultural intake ditch.  Opening a historic irrigation way, the China Ditch, will also be an important focus of this group.

HUDSON

Rick Swenson, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to announce in August the selection of the River Navigator. NRCS, the sponsoring agency for the Hudson River, posted the announcement for the River Navigator position in May with a June 4 deadline. Fortyfive candidates applied. 

Plans are being developed for the signing of the partnership agreement between the federal agencies and the State of New York.  A possible ceremony along the Hudson River in September is being considered.  Signatories would include representatives of the State of New York and federal agencies working along the river.  

Plans are also being developed for the West Point First Annual Hudson River American Heritage River Conference to be held on Friday, September 17, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY.  The focus of the conference is on promoting cooperative geographic and environmental research in the Hudson River watershed.  For further information contact: Captain Douglas Clark, Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering, West Point, NY 10996 (914)938-2679,

MISSISSIPPI 

The River Navigator is continuing with his efforts to personally conduct on-site community visits with all of the participating Upper Mississippi River communities.  Efforts have already begun on matching resources for those communities that have already been visited. These include the development of museums and interpretive centers; hiking and biking paths; educational outreach focused on water quality of the Mississippi and tributaries; and the restoration and use of railroad depots.

Several groups & organizations are just beginning to get acquainted with the American Heritage River Initiative and roles of the River Navigator. This was the topic of several meetings during the month of July. These meetings included the Mississippi River Basin Alliance Conference; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Upper Miss. Ecosystem Meeting; Chippewa National Forest Staff; and the American Heritage River Initiative Steering Committee for the City of Bemidji, MN.  Additional status meetings of this kind are scheduled this month (August) with the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the Mississippi Parkway Commission.

LOWER MISSISSIPPI

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt and Assistant Secretary of the Army Corps of Engineers Joseph Westphal visited a number of locales within the area including Memphis, Lafayette, Louisiana and New Orleans. A press conference was held at Lakefront Airport on July 21 where Secretary Babbitt commended Louisianans for their hard work in preparing the American Heritage River designation application and congratulated them for their success. He also took the opportunity to introduce the River Navigator, Captain Robert (Bob) Innes, to the press.

On the first anniversary of the designation of the Lower Mississippi as an American Heritage River, a ceremony was held at Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, Louisiana, where representatives from the Louisiana parishes, the Mississippi River Road Commission, the City of New Orleans and four federal partners met to sign the Memorandum of Agreement establishing and expanding the Lower Mississippi River American Heritage River Alliance.

Rear Admiral Paul J. Pluta, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District was the keynote speaker.  He represented the sponsoring agency, the U. S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation. 

The Alliance now includes the following partners: Ascension Parish, Louisiana; City of Memphis, TN; City of New Orleans, LA; East Baton Rouge Parish, LA; Iberville Parish, LA; Jefferson Parish, LA; Plaquemines Parish, LA; St. Bernard Parish, LA; St. Charles Parish, LA; St. James Parish, LA; St. John the Baptist Parish, LA; West Baton Rouge Parish, LA; Mississippi River Road Commission; Department of Defense; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, State of Louisiana; U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Eighth Coast Guard District;, Maritime Administration, Central Region; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI.

NEW RIVER

The New River Conference sponsored by Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA) on July 26, 1999 at New River Community College in Dublin, VA was a huge success. The conference was developed in cooperation with the New River Community Partners.  More than 250 people attended the conference, which included six workshop sessions in the afternoon. Highlights were addresses given by Congressman Boucher; Ray Clark, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment, and Wesley Warren, Council on Environmental Quality. Frances Eargle, deputy director of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, also participated.

The conference featured public release of the New River (Watershed) Work Plan which contained more than 330 local and regional projects. The work plan is organized into six topic areas, each of which is divided into smaller categories that group similar projects from across the region.  The six topic areas are the following:

• Historic and Cultural Preservation

• Education and Training

• Economic Revitalization

• Natural Resource Protection

• Agriculture

• Transportation and Trails

“Although these projects have been grouped into categories, all of them are

linked and connected,” Ben Borda, River Navigator for the New River, pointed out.  

“Residents of the region understand that the land, the economy and the culture of the New River are closely intertwined.  These connections are reflected in a multitude of projects that have economic, environmental, cultural and educational components.  The work of our partners also demonstrates these connections, as we have Chambers of Commerce involved in natural resource protection, agricultural services working on heritage preservation, and environmental groups assisting with economic development.”

POTOMAC RIVER

The Friends of the Potomac and national Park Service celebrated the first anniversary of the Potomac American Heritage River designation on July 30, 1999.  Thirteen members of the Potomac River Congressional delegation united to cosign a letter which recognized July 30 as "Potomac River Day".  An event was held on Theodore Roosevelt Island in DC to celebrate the occasion, to initiate the Friends of the Potomac Annual Local Awards Program and to announce twenty Federal agency commitments to help implement the Potomac American Heritage River initiative.

A crowd of over 200 people, braving temperatures near 100 degrees, listened to remarks by Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Congresswoman Constance Morella (R-MD), and Delegate Holmes Norton (D-DC).  Speaking on behalf of federal agencies were James Lee Witt, Director of FEMA; Robert Stanton Director of  the National Park Service; Robert Wayland, Director of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans & Watersheds; Karen Miller, Secretary's Representative to HUD; Glenda Humiston, Under Secretary of Agriculture; and Robin Lubitz, Deputy Administrator for the Department of Justice.  Speakers highlighted the various commitments their agencies were making to help conserve and revitalize the Potomac as well as existing programs which can be used to help communities carry out their vision for the watershed. 

RIO GRANDE

In July, Board of CoRio, the nominating organization and community partner for the Rio Grande American Heritage River, held a meeting at the State Capitol. They welcomed Brownsville Mayor Blanca Vela to the Board, replacing former Mayor Henry Gonzalez.  They also elected new officers: President, Mayor Betty Flores of Laredo; Vice President, Mayor Carlos Ramirez of El Paso; Secretary/Treasurer, Mayor Blanca Vela of Brownsville. Tyrus (Ty) Fain continues as the General Secretary and CEO.  Frances Eargle, deputy director of the American Heritage Rivers Task Force, attended the meeting.

CoRio and the Public Policy Information Fund have completed a Memorandum of Agreement under which they will work cooperatively through the newly formed Rio Grande Institute. The principal focus of the Institute is training and technical assistance for local communities on information management and planning, securing and administering external financial assistance. Under the MOA, the Institute will assist member jurisdictions through area service centers it is to establish in Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo, the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the Big Bend. A distinguished group of Rio Grande Fellows and Associates is forming to provide a pool of experts to assist communities.

On July 7, Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) brought federal officials and local public and private sector leaders together in El Paso for an extraordinary meeting to get acquainted, hear a report on border matters from the General Accounting Office and discuss plans for initiatives such as the President’s Executive Order on planning a border-wide economic development program and the American Heritage Rivers designation. 

Mayor Blanca Vela and City Manager Carlos Rubinstein are working with local leaders, state and federal agencies and private funders to develop an integrated plan for revitalization of the Brownsville’s historic downtown area. This Heritage River initiative is being linked to other projects in the CoRio action plan, including a battlefield trail, resaca restoration and new and existing birding centers and nature trails. CoRio is being joined by GSA Regional Director John Pouland and HUD Community Builder Justin Ormsby for a meeting on August 11 with Brownsville officials. The hope to finalize plans for an early Fall workshop involving various federal and state agencies, private foundations and local leaders.

As part of CoRio’s continuing series of workshops on border issues, the Rio Grande Institute is  joining the Austin San Antonio Corridor Council and the North American Institute in sponsoring a transportation workshop October 1-3 in San Antonio. The focus will be on challenges and opportunities involving border crossings and intermodal transfer points  in conjunction with the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Detroit River and Rio Grande are both Heritage Rivers and provide major ports of entry for NAFTA generated traffic. 

The Office of Border Initiatives is in the Texas Department of Economic Development (TDED) Strategic Initiatives program and working to develop and strengthen alliances between federal, state, regional, and local leaders.  One of CoRio’s priorities is to have the Rio Grande Institute work with TDED, the State Historic Commission and the Smithsonian in an alliance to secure funding for an updated inventory of historic and ecotourism sites along the Rio Grande. 

UPPER SUSQUEHANNA-LACKAWANNA

“Great things have been happening in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” reports Tom Williams from the office of Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA).  Rep Kanjorski was the nominator of the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed as an American Heritage River.  He noted several recent announcements:

• $200,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to reclaim abandoned mine lands into a recreation and soccer complex in conjunction with the U.S. Soccer Association 

• Feasibility study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to develop a plan to re-establish the Nanticoke Creek Watershed, which currently contains three dry creeks whose water is lost to the underground mine pool only to re-emerge as acid mine drainage. 

• Work by the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation to design limestone grouting system to remove aluminum from an abandoned mine discharge. The success of this project will return life to a 50-acre lake which has become void of all life due to this toxic metal. 

• Work that has started on the Watershed Environmental Master Plan GIS Study currently being funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

In addition, a recent workshop sponsored by the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Watershed Steering Committee featured Loretta Neumann, Director of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative; Liz Raisbeck of River Network, a non-profit national organization that provides assistance to river communities; and Brian Grimsey of the Canadian Heritage Rivers Program.

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