American Heritage Rivers Initiative Congressional Caucus Briefing October 21, 2003

American Heritage Rivers Initiative

Congressional Caucus Briefing

October 21, 2003

11:00 – 12:30 PM

HC-7, the Capitol

Logistics:  Please plan to arrive NLT 10:45 AM.  The caucus meeting room is in a basement level below the Capitol rotunda.  Tentative: enter the building from the south side, Independence Ave.

This was set-up as a briefing for Members’ staff.  Since Congress is in session, participation will likely be limited to regular staff, perhaps two dozen (perhaps less).

Proposed Agenda/Format

• AHRI Overview; Bess Gillelan.  Powerpoint or powerpoint handouts.  --  10 minutes

• River Navigator presentations

John Hartig, Detroit River; Jim White, Cuyahoga River; Vinny Tapagna, Hudson River

10 – 15 minutes each

• Questions and Answers, Discussion – 40 minutes

Major Themes/Talking Points

• How is the American Heritage rivers Initiative making a difference for the nation’s rivers?

-- Success stories, Partnerships

• River Navigators  

-- Serve Community needs

-- Appointed under different arrangements, e.g., Federal employee, agency grant, detail assignment (this is one of the strengths of the AHRI model)

--  Key (unique) Roles of the River Navigator in the AHRI Partnership

-- “Honest broker”

-- Cutting red tape

--  Education/outreach;   Other?

• American Heritage Rivers Initiative is …………………..

-- “a catalyst”

-- a mechanism for leveraging funds, resources

-  Other

• Components of a Successful AHRI Community partnership

--   A “Rainmaker”

-- A Funding Champion

--  Liaison/Point of Contact

• Value-added of the AHRI National Partnership  (i.e., the whole is greater than the sum of the fourteen parts)

--Sharing ideas among RNs, CPs, Task Force agencies through the “National network

-- Creativity; uniques approached to problem-solving

   --  Executive direction/coordination, access to Federal agencies and decision-makers

• Future Challenges /  Challenges

Potential Issues

--  River Navigators support   …..   extended appointments

-  New River Designations

--   AHRI as a model of local governance

New Connections

• River Caucus; “River Day”

• New partnerships (e.g., River Stories - Tom’s of Maine, Documentary Films – PBS, River Art exhibitions)

-

-- Celebrate the River !!

Handout Material

State of the Rivers, 2003 – American Heritage Rivers Initiative Annual Report

A River Runs Through It.  J.H. Hartig, 2002,  Water Environment & Technology

Rivers Uniting Communities – 2002 AHRI Annual Report