Landmark Bill Protecting more than 1,000 Miles of Rivers Passes U.S. House

February 13, 2020
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday voted to protect more than 1,000 miles of rivers with Wild and Scenic River designations. The public lands legislation, Protecting America’s Wilderness Act (H.R. 2546), includes Wild and Scenic safeguards for rivers including the San Gabriel and important portions of the Trinity River watershed in California and the Queets, Sol Duc, and Elwha in Washington.

Bob Irvin, President and CEO of American Rivers, made the following statement:

“Clean, free-flowing rivers are vital for our drinking water supplies, strong local economies and a vibrant outdoor recreation industry. We applaud the House for its action, and thank Representative Huffman (CA-2), Representative Judy Chu (CA-27), Representative Carbajal (CA-24), and Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-6) for their leadership. We look forward to seeing the U.S. Senate take up these bills to protect outstanding rivers.”

“Protecting Wild and Scenic Rivers is an investment in our communities and our future. Every mile protected means cleaner water, more abundant wildlife, and more opportunities for people to connect with the outdoors.”

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