Watershed Association Testifies In Support Of Federal Protection For Pawcatuck River

The Wood-Pawcatuck Protection Act seeks to provide funding for protection of the Pawcatuck River and other streams in Connecticut and Rhode Island, the Associated Press reports, and an official with the Watershed Association spoke in support of the legislation on Tuesday, April 17.

Denise Poyer of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association testified on Capitol Hil, and according to the article, explained that the areas are "an important part of the region's identity."

The article says that the bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Courtney and Rhode Island Rep. James Langevin, "calls for a study to determine the 'wild and scenic' value of the rivers in a watershed spanning 300 square miles over 14 towns in southern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut."

Affected towns and environmental departments support the bill, the AP reported, quoting Langevin.