YORK, Maine A long-running effort to designate the York River as wild and scenic went before a U.S. Senate subcommittee Wednesday, June 23, when a local proponent and a senator nudged federal officials to make progress on the matter.
The legislative hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks covered a number of bills related to parks and federal lands, among them a bill that would grant the York River federal wild and scenic status.
Jennifer Hunter, coordinator for the York River Wild and Scenic Study Committee, testified as a witness during the hearing and spoke in support of Senate Bill 491, which aims to designate 30.8 miles of York River and its major tributaries into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
By Staff
A pending addition of the York River to the National Park System’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Program could ultimately help protect the southern Maine watershed and lift its profile as a national tourism destination.
Maine’s Congressional delegation has reintroduced the bipartisan York River Wild and Scenic River Act to initiate the final step in the listing process, according to a news release
If the bill is passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, the designation would direct more federal funding and technical assistance to the area, while lifting the York River’s profile as a national tourism destination. It would also provide a local forum for the four watershed communities to collaboratively address long-term river stewardship needs.