Sponsors (4)
The bill funds a federal study that could protect the Deerfield River and boost local recreation economies, but it may impose future land‑use limits and costs for taxpayers and riverside communities.
Residents and visitors near the Deerfield River will receive a federally commissioned study that could lead to protections for scenic, recreational, and ecological values.
Local governments, recreation businesses, and nearby communities could see increased tourism and outdoor recreation opportunities if the study leads to a conservation or designation outcome.
Congress and federal agencies (and by extension local planners) will receive an informed report within three years to guide policy, funding, and river-management decisions.
Riverside landowners and local governments could face new restrictions on development or land use if the study leads to a Wild and Scenic-type designation.
Taxpayers may incur costs to conduct the study and to implement any subsequent management or protection actions recommended by the report.
If funding or staffing is delayed, the three-year deadline may not produce timely information for communities planning development or infrastructure projects along the river.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds the Deerfield River system to the list of rivers to be studied under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and requires a study report to Congress within 3 years after funds are available.
Adds the Deerfield River (including its North, South, East, and West branches and listed major tributaries) to the list of waterways to be studied under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete that study and submit a report to Congress within three years after funds are made available. The bill also establishes an official short title for the Act. The amendment directs the Department of the Interior to evaluate the river and its named tributaries for potential Wild and Scenic designation and to report findings and recommendations to the appropriate congressional committees once the study is finished.
Introduced March 27, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress March 27, 2025