US House passes Kissimmee River bill sponsored by Darren Soto and Scott Franklin

Staff report
·2 min read
The U.S. House passed a bill placing the Kissimmee River on the national list of Wild and Scenic Rivers.
The U.S. House passed a bill placing the Kissimmee River on the national list of Wild and Scenic Rivers.
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The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill adding the Kissimmee River to the list of potential additions to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, sponsored the bill, and Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Lakeland, served as a co-sponsor, along with Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key. The vote was 377 to 45. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, voted against the bill.

The Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act also directs the secretary of interior to complete a study of the Kissimmee River within three years, according to a news release from Soto’s office.

Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to “preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” The Kissimmee River, which forms the eastern border of Polk County, was greatly altered beginning in the 1940s for flood control, resulting in destruction of habitat throughout its floodplain.

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Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1990s to restore the river nearer to its original course, a project that was completed in 2021.

“It is critical for us to preserve the historic Kissimmee River as it is home to many of Florida’s endangered species and the heart of the state’s water drainage route,” Soto said in the release. “As we continue working to improve our environment, we must ensure that this natural treasure is able to sustain the growth of future generations. I am thrilled with the progress we’ve made in the House and urge the Senate to promptly send this bill to President Joe Biden’s desk.”

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: House passes bill adding Kissimmee River to preservation list