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Farmington Wild and Scenic River Act

Public Law 103-313 · H.R. 2815 · 103rd Congress · began in the House

Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 26, 1994 · Public Lands and Natural Resources

Sponsor: Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT-6)

Cosponsors (5): Rep. Barbara Kennelly,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Farmington Wild and Scenic River Act - Amends the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (the Act) to designate a specified segment of the Farmington River in Connecticut as a component of the National Wild and Scenic River System.

Requires the segment to be: (1) administered as a recreational river by the Secretary of the Interior through cooperative agreements between the Secretary and the State of Connecticut and its relevant political subdivisions; and (2) managed in accordance with the Upper Farmington River Management Plan. Deems the Plan to satisfy the requirement for a comprehensive management plan pursuant to the Act.

Requires the Director of the National Park Service, or his or her designee, to represent the Secretary on the Farmington River Coordinating Committee provided for in the Plan.

Requires the Secretary to offer to enter into cooperative agreements with the State of Connecticut and its relevant political subdivisions in order to provide for the long-term protection, preservation, and enhancement of the segment and to make a similar offer to the Farmington River Watershed Association. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into cooperative agreements with other parties who may be represented on the Committee; and (2) provide technical assistance, staff support, and funding to assist in implementation of the Plan. Provides that implementation of this Act through such cooperative agreements shall not constitute National Park Service administration of the segment and shall not cause the segment to be considered as being a unit of the National Park System.

Requires the Plan to serve as the primary source of information regarding the flows needed to maintain instream resources and the potential compatibility between resource protection and possible water supply withdrawals.

Deems the zoning ordinances adopted by specified towns and the river protection overlay districts in effect on the enactment of this Act to satisfy the standards and requirements of the Act.

Authorizes appropriations.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.

  1. Aug 26, 1994Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 103-313.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Aug 18, 1994PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Aug 16, 1994Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Vento moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
  6. Jun 16, 1994FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  7. May 25, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. May 11, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  9. Mar 17, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Referred to National Parks Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  10. Mar 16, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  11. Mar 15, 1994FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  13. FloorFloor · Mr. Vento moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  14. Mar 11, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  15. Mar 2, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  16. Feb 10, 1994CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  18. Oct 28, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  19. Sep 16, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  20. Jul 30, 1993CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  21. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.