Potomac American Heritage River

Potomac American Heritage River
River Navigator’s Report January 31, 2000
J. Glenn Eugster, Potomac AHR River Navigator

The Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park Service (NPS) and the Friends of the Potomac, approved in July 1999 to provide a framework for the implementation of Presidential Executive Order No. 13061, requires the River Navigator to prepare project status report for the Potomac American Heritage River (AHR). The following activities and projects highlight the major achievements of 1999. Copies of the complete status report are available from Glenn Eugster at e-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov or by telephone at (202619-7492.

1. Friends of the Potomac: A new private non-profit, watershed-wide organization—called the Friends of the Potomac, has been formally created to help local governments, private groups, communities and businesses to help themselves conserve, protect, restore, revitalize, interpret and enjoy the Potomac River watershed.

2. National Park Service & River Navigator: A formal partnership has been created between the Friends of the Potomac and NPS-the lead federal agency for the AHR, to help States, Regional and local governments, and the private sector implement a vision for the watershed. The Department of Interior has agreed to fund the River Navigator’s salary and Glenn Kinser of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has agreed to serve in that position starting next month.

3. Federal Agency Team: A team of Federal Agency representatives has been organized and eleven agencies are assisting, and willing continue to help, the Friends and their partner organizations. The initial commitments made by the agencies are described in the 23 actions identified in “A Commitment to the Potomac” released by the Friends of the Potomac in July 1999.

4. Potomac Caucus: A Potomac River Watershed Congressional Caucus has been formed to assist the Friends and other watershed leaders to implement their vision for the Potomac. The Caucus has demonstrated its commitment to this effort by supporting funding for 2000, recognizing July 30 as Potomac River Day, and supporting the Congress for the Potomac and Leadership Potomac projects.

5. Strategic Business Plan: The Friends have completed a plan for 2000 including project, budget and staffing priorities and commitments, and plans for creation of the Councils, Board elections and membership-drive.

6. Action: Federal and private sector funding and technical assistance has been secured to continue work on the following locally led priority projects:

· Leadership Potomac
· Regional Heritage Tourism Initiative
· Congress for the Potomac
· Community Partner Workshops
· The Nation’s River Bass Tournament
· Shad Restoration Project
· Integrated Science and Humanities Educational Curriculum
· Pendleton County, WV Poultry Waste Digester Evaluation
· Appalachian Highlands Project/ Countryside Stewardship Exchange

Overall $ 393,000 in public and private funding has been secured, since January 1999, to help the Friends and their community partners implement the Potomac AHR.

Potomac Celebration: The first annual Potomac River Day
celebration was held, on Roosevelt Island with close to 200 Congressional, federal government and watershed leaders, to:
· Recognize the anniversary of the Potomac AHR designation; · Honor six locally-led, and federally assisted, Potomac projects; and,
· Announce the initial Federal support for community-based activities in the watershed.

8. Land Trust Workshop: The Potomac AHR effort assisted the Potomac Conservancy and others, with the first Potomac Land Trust Workshop. The purpose of the dialogue, which was attended by 45 watershed leaders, was to find ways to strengthen the collective efforts of the land trust community to work with private landowners and public officials on voluntary land conservation and restoration efforts.

9. Anacostia Community Summit: The Friends of the Potomac co-sponsored, and provided financial and technical assistance for the December 1999 Anacostia River Community Summit. The purpose of the summit, which was attended by over 200 community, District and federal leaders, was to create an opportunity for community dialogue and begin to develop a community vision for lands along the Anacostia River.

10. African American Heritage: “The Potomac River: A Guide to African American Heritage” was completed with help from the National Park Service. The guide sought to begin a partnership with the International Network to freedom Association to give more attention to the African American experience within the Potomac watershed. The guide uses narrative and geographic information system data to develop, and celebrate a network of sites directly related to African American heritage.

11. Chesapeake Bay Agreement: The Friends established “The Potomac American Heritage River Watershed Agreement” with the Chesapeake Bay Program. The agreement, reached with the Federal Agencies Committee, intends to support community-based efforts and commitments the Bay Program to support AHR projects, assist the Navigator, complete an inventory of federal programs and provide geographic information.

12. National Tournament: A “Nation’s River Bass Tournament” is scheduled for June 8-9,2000 to recognize the importance of clean water, the value of the Lower Potomac bass fishery, and the role American sportsmen have played in the conservation and clean-up of the Potomac. The event, which is being led by the Friends, the Alexandria Seaport Foundation and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be used to generate funds to support local fishery-related projects.