(Washington, DC)-Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) leads the one again Connecticut River Watershed Partnership Act (CRWPA)which would formalize a partnership between the federal, states, local and private companies in order to promote the efforts to maintain, restore, education and relaxation in the water catchment area and to enable a voluntary subsidy program to facilitate these activities. This joint effort will benefit fish and wildlife habitats, protect drinking water sources, improve the resilience of the floods and help promote access to the public spaces of the water sheath, in particular for excluded and marginalized communities. The US representative Jim McGovern (MA-02) leads an accompanying law in the House of Representatives.
“The Connecticut River and its watershed are a lively part of the landscape in New England, which offers living space for fish and wildlife, provides safe drinking water for our communities and tourism that contributes to the economy of the entire region.” Senator Shaheen said. “Only if we work together at the federal, state and local level can we effectively protect and preserve this critical ecological and economic resource- and that is exactly the type of partnership that would create this legislation.”
The Connecticut River, the longest river in New England, escaped a watershed of 7.2 million hectares in five New England countries: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The water sheath houses 396 municipalities and offers various stakeholders and industries, including fishing, agriculture, hunting, relaxation, boat and tourism, several environmental and economic advantages. The National Fish and Wildlife Refuge of Silvio O. Conte includes the entire watershed and is the only refuge of this kind in the National Wildlife Refuge system.
In particular, the CRWPA:
- Demands that the interior minister set up a non-regulatory partnership program for water catchment areas, which, in consultation with federal, state, local and non-profit stakeholders, is identified, prioritized and implemented the restoration and protection activities in the water sheath.
- Create a subsidy and technical support program for state and local governments; Tribal organizations; non -profit organizations; Institutions of university formation; and other justified units for activities in the water sheath;
- Implement a 75% federal cost share for the scholarship program, unless the secretary determines that a larger cost share is appropriate. And
- Make sure that other activities carried out by the secretary of the water sheath would complement the activities that are carried out by the partnership program.
Legislation is supported by a broad coalition of more than 50 public and private organizations in all of New England, including Connecticut River's Watershed Partnership. Together with Shaheen, the legislation of the US senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markay (D-Ma), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-Ma), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Peter Welch (D-VT) with sponsorship.
Full text is available Here.
Shaheen has had efforts to protect our natural environment and invest in climate emaca and at the same time strengthen the recreational economy of New Hampshire. Shaheen led the non -partisanity Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act Act In the law to demand the federal government to measure the effects of recreation outdoors on the economy. In November 2024, Shaheen welcomed the publication of an annual report, which show an economic contribution of 1.2 trillion dollars by the recreational sector outdoors in 2023 in the amount of US dollars in New Hampshire. Shaheen also helped to introduce them again Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (Shred) Act Investments in relaxation outdoors in national forests that benefit mountain communities.
Shaheen has also carried out efforts to secure full financing and the permanent approval for the Agricultural and Water Protection Fund (LWCF), which has contributed to protecting more than 2.5 million tomorrow and protecting tens of thousands of state and local leisure projects outdoors outdoors. In 2020 Shaheen helped to lead Great American Outdoors Act in the law to permanently finance the LWCF and to provide mandatory funds for the postponement in public areas.
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