American Heritage Rivers Updates
Volume 2 Number 3
June, 1999
The past several weeks have been busy ones for the 14 American Heritage Rivers. Here
is a brief overview of recent events, followed by a river-by-river summary of activities and
accomplishments.
Overview of Recent Events
River Navigators: River Navigators have been selected for three more American Heritage
Rivers: Connecticut, BlackstoneWoonasquatucket, and New Rivers. The Hanalei River
community has selected two half-time coordinators, rather than one navigator. Interviews have
been completed and announcements are expected soon for the Detroit, Lower Mississippi, and
Rio Grande Rivers. The application deadline for the Hudson River was June 4; the Willamette
deadline is June 16; the Cuyahoga deadline is June 29. The job posting for the Upper
Susquehanna-Lackawanna Rivers is expected soon. (Selections for the Potomac, St. Johns and
Upper Mississippi were previously announced; see the Archives for further information.)
Partnership Agreements: On May 25, the partnership agreement for the Willamette River in
Oregon was signed in a festive ceremony along the banks of the river, attended by Oregon
Governor John Kitzhaber, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt,
and representatives of the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal and
state agencies. Other rivers are planning signing ceremonies for this summer (dates in
parenthesis may be tentative): Connecticut (July 1), Hudson (July 16), Cuyahoga (July 28 or 29),
New River (Aug. 7).
Detroit's National Town Meeting: Representatives of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative
participated in the National Town Meeting in Detroit, Michigan May 2-5, 1999, which was
sponsored by the President's Council on Sustainable Development. An AHRI learning session
focused on how designated river communities are working with Federal agencies and other
partners to implement community-developed action plans. They also indicated ways that other
communities can achieve results regardless of whether their rivers have been officially
designated as an American Heritage River. AHRI Director Loretta Neumann provided an
overview of the initiative. Mark Breederland from the Detroit River, Patrick Woodie from the
New, Victor Miramontes from the Rio Grande, and Glenn Eugster from the Potomac described
how they are using the initiative to revive historic waterfronts, improve natural habitats for fish
and wildlife, enhance business opportunities, and develop educational programs that lead to high-skilled, technical jobs.
Training/Orientation. A training and orientation program for River Navigators and
Community Partners is being held in Washington, DC June 14-18. Representatives from the 14
American Heritage Rivers will be taking part in the week-long event. They will be briefed on
key governmental and private sector programs that river communities can use to implement their
action plans. Information gathered from these sessions will be compiled and made publicly
available by electronic means later this summer.
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 heading
below.
BLACKSTONE-WOONASQUATUCKET
In early June, Johanna Hunter became the River Navigator for the Blackstone-Woonasquatucket
Rivers. She has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency in Boston and Washington,
DC for 16 years. She will be based in Woonasquatucket, but her territory stretches from the
headwaters of the Blackstone in Worcester, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island, where
the Blackstone and Woonasquatucket flow into the Providence River. Her first task will be to
provide opportunities for the federal "pilots" (representatives of federal agencies designated to
serve as the primary contact for the river) and their state partners to meet local community
representatives. Each community will have approximately one-half day to discuss their
environmental, economic, cultural, recreational, and transportation interests along the river
corridor.
The Providence Plan, the non-profit organization that sponsored the Blackstone-Woonasquatucket River nomination, will host a number of activities in June, including the
Woonasquatucket River Greenway Festival at Donigian (Valley Street) Park in Providence on
June 19. The Smith Appleby House is sponsoring dinners on Friday the 18th and Saturday the
19th. Meanwhile, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has provided county maps and
a map of a proposed North-West Bike Trail.
CONNECTICUT RIVER
The New England Federal Partners, Environmental Protection Agency Region I Administrator
John DeVillars, and the Connecticut River partners will host an American Heritage Rivers
ceremony July 1 in Brattleboro, VT. The event will be used for the signing of the partnership
agreement between the river community and the federal agencies and for the formal introduction
of Dan Burke as the River Navigator. Mr. Burke has worked with the Environmental Protection
Agency since 1993, where he has held several key positions. He was a federal On-Scene
Coordinator, a post similar to a river navigator. In that position, he dealt with community groups,
elected officials, the states and the press. His On-Scene Coordinator position cut across many
programs including RCRA, Superfund, Water Pollution, Pollution Prevention/Recycling, and
Brownfields. He is also a certified project officer and contract officer.
The National Park Service is working with a loose federation (30 or so individuals) of museum,
historical and environmental groups to frame the work needed to follow through on the
"Connecticut River Valley: Special Resource Reconnaissance Study." The Natural Resource
Conservation Service is working in the Massachusetts/Connecticut reach of the river to help
inventory the lower valley's riverbanks for erosion sites and important habitat. This is to
"mirror" and enhance work already undertaken in Vermont and New Hampshire. EPA may help
fund this work as well as some implementation for erosion control in those states. Sponsors of
this endeavor include the Connecticut River Conservation District Coalition, Connecticut River
Joint Commissions, and Connecticut River Watershed Council. Riverfront Recapture has begun
working with NRCS and others to control erosion in Hartford's and East Hartford's riverfront
parks.
The National Park Service has provided $10,000 to focus on heritage projects proposed in the
nomination package of the river. The Connecticut River Watershed Council hopes that it will be
awarded grants from other sources to staff its convenor position, to expand CRWC's watershed
website, hold River forums, meetings and conferences, do public outreach concerning the
initiative, work with the federal partners, River Navigators, river pilots, and legislators on
supporting projects, and promote the AHRI designation.
CUYAHOGA RIVER
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has agreed to be the federal sponsoring
agency for the Cuyahoga River Navigator and is conducting the hiring process. The Forest
Service has advertised both internally (regular full-time position) and externally (term position).
The position is posted at
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
and the closing date is June 29. The National Park
Service will house the River Navigator's office in the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation
Area. The navigator will also have access to an office at the Department of Housing & Urban
Development in downtown Cleveland.
Karen Sykes, a hydrologist who works on watershed restoration issues for the Forest Service in
Morgantown, West VA, is serving as the interim River Navigator. She will be working on
getting details together for the Memorandum of Understanding between the Forest Service, the
National Parks Services, and other AHR Partners.
The Cuyahoga community partners are coordinating with the Cleveland Metroparks, which is
hosting a press conference on June 22 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1969 river
fire that "sparked" the passing of the Clean Water Act. Saturday, July 10, they will participate in
a National Clean Boating Campaign event hosted by Marine Environmental Education
Foundation and the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association). The partners are also making plans
for a summer event to celebrate the anniversary of the designation of the river and to highlight
the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding among federal agencies and the local partners.
It will include a boat tour of the river and ceremonies at Hart-Crane Park along the river in the
Flats area of Cleveland.
DETROIT RIVER
The Detroit community expects to announce its selection of a River Navigator in June. Rodney
Slater, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation announced in April that DOT would
sponsor the navigator. The Coast Guard, which is part of DOT, will provide office space at its
Marine Safety Office in the City of Detroit. "It's a great place," said Mark Breederland, the
community contact for the Detroit River. DOT's St. Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation and Federal Highway Administration is expected to provide additional assistance.
The community has also worked on a Memorandum of Understanding with the leadership of
Detroit's new Automobile National Heritage Area. It describes how the two entities will work
collaboratively. Both were established last year. The river was established by the President's
designation and the heritage area was established by congressional legislation. "We're excited
about the opportunities both bring to the Detroit River corridor," Mark Breederland said.
This summer, events are being planned for celebrations that lead up to Detroit's 300th birthday,
which will occur in 2001. The corporate and private foundation sectors in Detroit have
undertaking major fund raising to leave a lasting legacy and have established an umbrella
organization called "Detroit 300." The AHR team has strongly urged them to select a river
project. One of the priority river projects is the restoration of Fort Wayne, which 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. 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 RIVER
The USDA Forest Service, which is the sponsoring agency for the Hanalei River, held a number
of meetings with community representatives this past winter. In response to the community's
request, the Forest Service agreed to support two half-time watershed coordinators, instead of
one full-time River Navigator. Makaala Kaamoana and Carol Wilcox assumed their positions on
June 1. Ms. Kaaumoana was born in Kaneohe, Hawaii and raised in the South Pacific. She has a
Masters degree in biological science and has been active in environmental community issues for
30 years. She has lived in Hanaei for 10 years. Ms. Wilcox was born and raised in Hawaii and
has long been involved in water matters. She co-authored "The Hawaii Stream Assessment" and
"Sugar Water, A History of Hawaii's Plantation Irrigation Systems." In addition, a third member
of the team is Johanna Ventura, administrative aide. Ms. Ventura was raised in Hawaii and
brings youthful energy and enthusiastic commitment to her community.
HUDSON RIVER
Plans are being developed for the signing of the partnership agreement between the federal
agencies and the state of New York. The ceremony is tentatively scheduled for mid July in
Peekskill, NY. Federal agencies will sign the MOU at regional or state administrative or director
levels or the equivalent. The Hudson River Heritage Council was created by Governor Pataki's
Executive Order No 85 on August 5, 1998, to support the Hudson River American Heritage
Rivers designation by coordinating state activities and cooperating with federal agencies and the
River Navigator.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service, the sponsoring agency for the Hudson River, posted the announcement for the River Navigator position in May and deadline was June 4.
Commissioner John Cahill of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the Hudson River Heritage Council will interview the finalists and make a recommendation to Rick Swenson, the NRCS State Forester, who will make the final decision.
LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Captain Robert D. Innes has been selected by the U.S. Coast Guard to be the River Navigator for
the Lower Mississippi. (The Coast Guard, which is part of the Department of Transportation, is
the sponsoring agency for the Lower Mississippi American Heritage River.) Captain Innes
graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1972 with a BS in Engineering Management
and from the American University in 1978 with an MS in National Strategic Affairs. Capt. Innes
has extensive experience and knowledge of engineering technology, personnel administration,
training and personnel development, and managing major institutional budgets. From 1995-1998, he has served as Chief, Administration Division, Eighth Coast Guard District. After
leaving that post and until the present time, he was a principal consultant at an emerging
consulting company in Louisiana. He has had several diplomatic postings overseas.
The Louisiana Community, which consists of 11 parishes from New Orleans to the mouth of the
river, met on June 1 to elect officers to represent them. Angela Falgoust with Ascension Parish
was elected president. She will be the Lower Mississippi community contact for Louisiana with
the American Heritage Rivers Initiative.
NEW RIVER
The Corps of Engineers, with the support of the New River Community Partners (NRCP), has
selected Ben Borda as the River Navigator. Mr. Borda was previously the Chief of the
Environmental Analysis Branch, a part of the Planning Division of the US Army Corps of
Engineers in Huntsville. He also has several years of experience with the Department of Defense
and the Department of the Interior.
The New River has received a number of grants over the past several months as a result of its
designation as an American Heritage River. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded
$40,000 to support the community outreach planning process in West Virginia and Virginia.
Also, as a result of receiving $45,000 in private donations, there has been the incorporation of the
New River Community Partners (NRCP) and the hiring of an executive director, Patrick Woodie.
The State of North Carolina has awarded $614,500 for stream bank restoration, GIS mapping and
a feasibility study for alternative wastewater treatment.
One local American Heritage River project, the reclamation of the Ore Knob Mine in Ashe
County, NC, received $1.2 million from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust
Fund for the planning phase. An additional $1.8 million is set aside and tentatively approved for
acquisition of conservation easements and the planting of riparian buffers along a twelve mile
section of the New River in North Carolina.
The NRCP developed a cooperative agreement to be signed with the Corps and the signing will
likely take place in Hinton, WV on August 7. The NRCP are planning to have one key event in
each of the three states (NC, VA and WV) that are home to the New River during the Summer of
1999.
POTOMAC RIVER
Potomac River Navigator Glenn Eugster is leading an interagency team of experts from more
than 20 federal agencies that can offer assistance to the members of Friends of the Potomac.
These agencies are focusing on ways in which they might offer financial or technical assistance
to projects and activities described in the Potomac's AHR nomination plan, along with several
projects endorsed by the Friends after the nomination was filed. The Federal agency team met in
May to discuss the status of commitments and plans for a July 30 event that will focus on the
announcement of agency commitments to the Potomac, corporate sponsors; Potomac success
stories; and the first anniversary of the Potomac AHR recognition. The Federal Agency Team
will hold another meeting in Washington, DC on June 28.
The National Park Service is continuing discussions with the Trust for Public Lands and the
American Society of Landscape Architects about their efforts to increase the awareness of
conservation opportunities along the lower Potomac River.
There has been a continuing evaluation of the effects of the Pendleton County, WV Poultry
Waste Digester on the quality of the Potomac River. National Park Service has also continued to
collaborate with the Chesapeake Bay Program to plan for a meeting of federal landholders within
the Anacostia and Rock Creek Watersheds to discuss past, present, and future stormwater
management efforts. Federal agencies will meet June 30 to discuss stormwater management on
Federal lands in the Anacostia and Rock Creek Watersheds. Stormwater management is a
priority problem identified by the communities who submitted the Potomac American Heritage
River application and is an Administration priority under the Clean Water Action Plan.
With a small grant from the Virginia Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and the support of
numerous partners, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) is restoring barren stream banks at
Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, Virginia. This spring the group planted more than 700 trees and
shrubs along a tributary of the Potomac River in the town park. LWC's next goal is to establish
stream monitoring teams for every watershed in Loudoun County.
RIO GRANDE
The Consortium of the Rio Grande (CoRio), which is the local partner on the Rio Grande in
Texas, held a strategic planning meeting in Austin on May 26. Representatives of the three
Board members reviewed the action plan and the Memorandum of Agreement with federal
agencies that was signed last January. They recommended specific steps to implement the plan.
CoRio also elected a new board in May. Representatives Ortiz and Hinojosa introduced
legislation to secure $5 million to acquire additional acreage for the 92,000-acre Lower Rio
Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. When complete, the refuge is to extend across 132,000
acres.
The Bureau of Reclamation has committed a $136,000 grant for the development of a Rio
Grande resources website and search engine being developed by a group led by CoRio and the
Transboundary Resource Inventory Program (TRIP). Participants are expected to include the
Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS), IBWC, several Interior Department
agencies, border universities, non-profit organization and local agencies.
Tyrus Fain, the Rio Grande's Community Contact, has a new address. He can be contacted at the
Rio Grande Council of Governments in El Paso at (915) 532-9385 or the Public Policy
Information Fund in Austin at (512) 472-7454.
ST. JOHN'S RIVER
The draft Partnership Agreement for the St. Johns River is out for public comment, with all
comments due by June 12. A signing ceremony is being planned for July. The Mayor of
Jacksonville's office and the Water Management District are working to establish the Steering
Committee, and set up its first meeting to coincide with the signing ceremony.
At the request of the community, the River Navigator for the St. Johns River, Barbara Elkus, is
stationed in Washington, DC. May 12-14 she made her first visit to the river basin. The trip
included an air tour of the river by the St. Johns River Water Management District. This
provided a good overview of the river, ongoing projects, and issues to be addressed. The Water
Management District also provided Dr. Elkus with briefings on many ongoing projects and
issues for the three major river basins. In addition, she met with staff of the Mayor of
Jacksonville, the sponsor of the designation.
UPPER MISSISSIPPI
During the month of May, River Navigator Owen Dutt convened the first meeting with several of
the mayors to discuss organization and communication among the various participants of the
Upper Mississippi American Heritage River. A partnership agreement was drafted and
distributed to the mayors' Interim Steering Committee and to the federal river "pilots." Mr. Dutt
also made community visits in Dubuque, Iowa and Clarksville, MO, and attended River Action
Inc. committee meeting in Rock Island, IL.
AHR Director Loretta Neumann and Upper Mississippi River Navigator Owen participated in the
Fillmore Mississippi Heritage Conference in Saint Paul, MN, May 12-14. Ms. Neumann
presented and overview of the American Heritage River Initiative and some of the activities
underway along the 14 designated rivers. She also introduced Mr. Dutt, who gave a keynote
speech to the conference, outlining the steps he plans to take to help communities participating in
the American Heritage River Initiative along the Upper Mississippi implement their projects.
In June, Mr. Dutt's activities include a first meeting with River Pilots on June 22 in Chicago, IL
and communities visit in Wood River, IL. The Upper Mississippi River Representatives also
hope to finalize the Partnership agreement. In addition, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is
working with private officials, Lincoln City, Iowa Department off Natural Resources, Iowa
Department of Transportation, Iowa Natural Heritage Commission and local members of the
congressional delegation on an important project to improve the local riverfront.
UPPER SUSQUEHANNA-LACKAWANNA
On June 21, the Susquehanna American Heritage Rivers Meeting/Workshop will take place at
Luzerne County Community College Auditorium in Nanticoke, PA. At the workshop, the action
plan will be introduced to the public, Congressman Kanjorski will provide remarks, and other
speakers will give a discussion on their programs. There will also be a half an hour question and
answer session. Members of the general public and the local watershed groups have been invited
to attend the meeting.
WILLAMETTE RIVER
The Willamette American Heritage River Navigator position recruitment period has been
extended to June 16, 1999. The position is funded in a partnership among the Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management, and the Willamette Restoration Initiative, which is coordinating
the AHR program for the Willamette River. The position is open to current federal employees as
well as to any other qualified applicants. The position will be located in Salem, Oregon. More
information is available by visiting:
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov
or the Willamette Restoration
Initiative's website:
http://www.oregonwri.org/.
On May 25, at Salem, Oregon's Riverfront Park along the Willamette River, Governor John
Kitzhaber hosted a partnership agreement signing ceremony with Federal agencies and the
Willamette Restoration Initiative. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director
James Lee Witt attended the ceremony along with state and regional representatives of the
Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service, who are co-sponsoring the River Navigator
position for the Willamette. The Memorandum of Agreement was also signed by more than 20
federal agencies, Oregon State University President Dr. Paul Risser, Chair of the Willamette
River Restoration Initiative. By signing, each of the agencies agreed to work in a coordinated
and collaborative manner to implement the American Heritage Rivers initiative.
| 
