Murphy, Hayes shepherd Housatonic Wild & Scenic bill through Congress
A downstream view of the covered bridge over the Housatonic in West Cornwall from July 29, 2021. The river was high and discolored that day. 
Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Murphy, Hayes shepherd Housatonic Wild & Scenic bill through Congress

KENT — The Housatonic Wild and Scenic River Act was included in the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress in late December.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-5) were in Kent on Friday, Feb. 11, to announce the crafting of federal legislation to obtain federal Wild and Scenic River status for  about 41 miles of the Housatonic River, between the Massachusetts border and Boardman Bridge in New Milford.

At the February meeting in Kent, Murphy pointed to the Wild and Scenic status of the Farmington River as an example of what can be done — including improved access to federal funding and resources.

The 41 miles of the Housatonic are popular with anglers and recreational boaters.

Four other rivers in Connecticut have achieved  federal Wild and Scenic status: the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook, the West Branch of the Farmington River, the Eightmile River Watershed in Haddam and the Pawcatuck River system in Stonington.

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