AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVERS INITIATIVE
OBJECTIVE
Objective of American Heritage Rivers Initiative.
President Clinton is creating American Heritage Rivers to protect
and restore America's great rivers. The President's objective
is to enhance our citizens' enjoyment of the historic, cultural,
recreational, economic and environmental value of our rivers and
to protect the health of our communities.
Rivers have always been an integral part of our nation's history,
providing opportunities for commerce, routes for exploration,
inspiration for ideas and culture, means of recreation, and sources
of drinking water. Across America many communities are working
to protect their rivers and revitalize their waterfronts. The
federal government will offer support to these communities by
providing them with better tools and encouraging local efforts
that deserve recognition.
CHARGE TO CABINET
President Clinton is charging his Cabinet to work with communities
to design an initiative that will support community efforts on
behalf of their rivers. The Cabinet will make program recommendations
to the President within 90 days for his approval.
SUMMARY OF CORE ELEMENTS
"American Heritage Rivers." President Clinton
will offer special recognition to outstanding stretches of America's
rivers by selecting them to be "American Heritage Rivers."
Communities will nominate sites to be considered for this status.
Federal agencies will refocus resources to provide particular
assistance to these areas. The President will select ten American
Heritage Rivers the first year.
Matching Community Involvement with Federal Support. The
American Heritage Rivers effort will be a partnership between
the federal government and the people who enjoy the many values
of a river. The partnerships will be created from the community
up, through local, state, tribal, and federal governments rather
than from the top down. Many of these actions will apply nationwide,
as well as for American Heritage Rivers.
SELECTION OF "AMERICAN HERITAGE RIVERS"
American Heritage Rivers. President Clinton will select
ten outstanding stretches of river as American Heritage Rivers
in the first year. The Administration will incorporate into future
efforts the lessons learned from these communities.
Enhanced Government Tools. President Clinton is directing
his Cabinet to refocus programs, grants, and technical assistance
to provide special support to American Heritage Rivers. Each community
supporting an American Heritage River will be given resources
to catalyze their
community's work on behalf of a restored, revitalized river.
Better Decisions. President Clinton is directing federal
agencies to adopt a "good neighbor" policy in making
decisions, taking into consideration the effects upon American
Heritage Rivers of actions by federal agencies.
Community Representative. President Clinton is directing
agencies to provide a community representative to help implement
the community's vision and provide a contact for federal resources
in each American Heritage River community.
Nominations. Communities will be able to nominate outstanding
stretches of river for consideration as an American Heritage River.
Nominations will include information on the importance of the
stretch of river to the nation's culture and history; to past
and future economic development; and to public health and environmental
quality. In addition, the Administration will seek a community
plan for revitalization, broad support for the plan and a commitment
of nonfederal resources.
TOOLS FOR ALL RIVER COMMUNITIES
The Cabinet will prepare recommendations for improving federal
help to all river communities, including but not limited to American
Heritage Rivers. Examples of such efforts include:
Access to Federal Programs and National Expertise. Communities
work with the federal government in numerous ways that affect
rivers. The Administration will make it easier to access available
federal resources to support community restoration, protection
and revitalization efforts, and will create a clearinghouse for
this information. This effort will also make national expertise
available to communities and actively promote successful ideas
about how we can work together to preserve our heritage.
Comprehensive Information for Communities. For the first
time, communities will have access to all the data available to
the federal government about the health of their rivers and the
challenges to continued protection. The Administration will make
this information easily accessible using the Internet and other
methods.
A Talent Bank Across Communities. Many communities are
already engaged in work to preserve their rivers and revitalize
their communities. The Administration will create a "talent
bank" of experienced local people who are willing to share
knowledge and techniques about community river restoration efforts.
A Call to Action. The President is calling on private companies,
nonprofit organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments
to come together to restore, protect, and revitalize rivers that
run
through their communities.
FULFILLING THE PRESIDENTS CHARGE
·Directive to Cabinet. The President is directing
the Cabinet (including agencies responsible for natural resource
management, economic development, environmental protection, and
historic preservation) to develop the American Heritage Rivers
effort by leaders, businesses, government at all levels, historians
and nongovernmental organizations. Within 90 days the Cabinet
will report the President the design of a program to meet his
objectives.
·American Heritage River Selections. As part of the
design of the overall program, the Cabinet will recommend specific
basic program procedures, including the process for nominating
and selecting sites for American Heritage River recognition, and
the considerations that will affect the selection.
·Budget Impact. This effort is not to rely on net
increases in federal spending or regulations, but rather newlytargeted
budget resources and more effective regulation.
PRINCIPLES
·COMMUNITYLED. The American Heritage Rivers
Initiative assists broadly supported communitybased efforts
to revitalize local rivers and their related communities and waterfronts.
·FLEXIBLE. The American Heritage Rivers Initiative
is responsive to the diverse needs of different kinds of communities,
from the core of our cities to remote rural areas.
·COORDINATED. The American Heritage Rivers Initiative
integrates state, local, federal and private expertise and resources
to achieve communityidentified complementary goals including
natural resources management, economic development, environmental
protection and historic
preservation.
·BROAD. While designated rivers receive focused support,
information and services are accessible to all river communities.
·PARTNERSHIPS. The American Heritage Rivers Initiative
encourages investment in river communities, promotes the pooling
of resources and actively seeks out others to support river community
efforts.
·ACTIONBASED. The American Heritage Rivers Initiative
supports efforts that directly result in improved river health
and revitalized local communities.
KEY COMPONENTS
No new funding sources have been identified for the American
Heritage Rivers Initiative. Rather, President Clinton has asked
his Cabinet to look at existing programs and services that can
be utilized by communities engaged in a variety of river restoration
efforts.
As proposed, the American Heritage Rivers Initiative (AHRI) will
have two dual tracks:
·Services to be provided to every river community expressing
interest. These "tools" may include a "State of
the Rivers" Web Page providing information via the Internet
on river conditions and demographics of rivers nationwide; a "Heritage
Program Storefront" Internet Page resembling the facade of
a shopping mall and visually present users with a broad array
of goods and services from which to choose; and "Tools in
a Box," providing handson, stepbystep guides
for communities just starting to restore and revitalize their
rivers.
·Specially focused services/support package provided to rivers
that are designated "American Heritage Rivers."
Key Milestones
April 7 Washington, D.C. Stakeholder Meeting
The overall program design and critical components will be presented
to interested stakeholders who will be asked to provide feedback
not only on the overall program, but on such specific components
as criteria used for designation and how to develop a toolbox
of federal resources that meet community needs and interests.
April 2125 Regional Stakeholder Meetings
A schedule is currently being developed.
April/May Focus GroupsCommunities will be asked to hold focus
groups to provide input on specific aspects of the program, such
as the toolbox of federal resources.
May Cabinet Recommends Program to the President
June Release of Federal Register Notice Inviting Nominations
DRAFT CRITERIA
To be designated, a River Community must meet basic criteria,
complete an application/nominations form and be selected by a
committee. The criteria should be broad, flexible and credible
and be part of a nominations process that will be a valuable learning
tool for communities and not just an exercise in filling out paper.
Qualifying Criteria
Each river and/or community grouping will demonstrate the
following in its nomination:
1. Local Partnership A broad spectrum
of private citizens, businesses, nonprofit organizations, public
and private institutions, local government agencies, elected officials,
and other parties within and adjacent to the proposed area or
areas support the designation and the goals of American Heritage
Rivers at the local level.
2. Resource Qualities Within the proposed
river area (as defined by the community) are a range of natural,
economic, historic, cultural, and recreation features. In sum,
they demonstrate the distinctive qualities of America's river
heritage.
3. Agreements One or more principal organizations,
as well as local or regional governmental entities, show their
willingness and capability to enter into partnership agreements
with each other as well as with Federal agencies and other parties
to implement a plan for the River.
4. Plan The principal local sponsoring
party or parties has a broad plan of action for the River, addressing
(but not limited to) such elements as: improvement of water quality
consistent with the environmental needs of the watershed; historic
preservation; cultural conservation; natural resources and scenic
conservation; recreation; and economic revitalization. The plan
includes proposed action for generating additional and matching
support.
5. Need There is a clear need for concerted,
longterm efforts in water quality improvement, river restoration,
and economic revitalization within and the along the River.
Selection Criteria
The President will also seek to ensure that, individually
or as a group, American Heritage Rivers:
1. symbolize America's river heritage at its best, in all their
natural, historic, cultural, economic and climatic diversity;
2. show a variety of stream sizes and situations, in urban, rural,
and mixed contexts; and
3. could significantly benefit from a broad range of refocused
or retargeted Federal programs or other assistance.
REGIONAL MEETINGS
City Date Contact
Albuquerque, NM April 16 Alan Ragins, NPS, ph: 5059886723
(fax:5059865225)
Asheville, NC May 1 Mary Noel, USFS, ph: 7042574259
Atlanta, GA April 28 Joan Dupont, EPA ,ph: 4045629228
(fax:4045629224)
Boston, MA April 22 Geeta Pradhan, ph: 6176350346
(fax: 6176350282)
Chicago, IL April 28 Bill Franz, EPA,ph: 3128867500
(fax: 3128862737)
Denver, CO May 7 Susan Ford, USFS,ph: 3032755742
(fax: 3032755754)
Los Angeles, CA April 29 Peg Henderson,NPS,ph:4154271448(fax:4157744043)
Philadelphia, PA April 25 Mindy Lemoine, EPA,ph:2155662736
(fax:2155662201)
San Francisco, CA April 28 Catherine Kuhlman, EPA,ph: 4157442001
(fax:4157441235)
Seattle, WA April 29 John Bregar, EPA,ph: 2065531984
(fax: 2065536984)