Potomac American Heritage River Friends of the Potomac & National Park Service Draft Mission Statement (6/29/99)

Potomac American Heritage River  

Friends of the Potomac & National Park Service 

Draft Mission Statement (6/29/99)

Background:  The Potomac American Heritage River effort is intended to implement the 1997 Presidential Executive Order # 13061 directing federal agencies to establish and implement the American Heritage Rivers Initiative.  The Initiative is intended to support communities in their efforts to restore and protect America’s rivers within existing laws and regulations, by providing them with better access to information, tools and resources, and encouraging private funding of local efforts deserving special recognition.   Support for local and basin-wide projects and activities is being led by the Friends of the Potomac, a non-profit watershed coalition, and the National Park Service, the lead Federal agency for this partnership.

Purpose:   To organize, manage and support community-wide initiatives that foster appreciation for and conservation of the Potomac River Basin through improved cooperation and coordination among federal agencies and programs.  The Friends of the Potomac, and their Potomac American Heritage River partners, are committed to land stewardship and making land use decisions in an effort to:

*  Improve water quality and foster environmental restoration;

* Promote enjoyment of natural, recreational and heritage assets and;

*  Encourage more citizen involvement in decision-making and community life.

Objectives:

• Restore living resources and historic Potomac fisheries
• Reduce acid mine drainage in the upper Potomac basin
• Reduce nutrient runoff from agricultural and poultry-processing land use
• Achieve the Chesapeake Bay Program’s year 2000 nutrient reduction goal
• Develop more effective flood-loss reduction 
• Promote appreciation and development of heritage and recreational assets
• Encourage community revitalization through heritage development
• Increase opportunities to learn about the Potomac Basin’s natural features, history and culture

For more information:  Karen Zachary, Coordinator, Friends of the Potomac, N. Randolph St. Arlington, VA 22201-4608. By telephone:  (703) 522-8783)