Remarks announcing the American Heritage Rivers initiative

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Sept 15, 1997

When I leave this office and I go home, I hope to continue a project I've been working on for many years - I worked on as Governor-to help both restore and enhance the development of our capital city at home along the Arkansas River. And the river has to be clean and pure and fully developed in its natural potential in order for us ever to make the most of that.

So this is a big deal to millions of people. And I suppose that it may be too free of controversy to arouse great interest today here, but we're all trying to change that, just like the Senate did this morning on the education issue. When I saw the two gentlemen before me speaking and then I was looking out here at all the mayors and all the representatives of the local community, about every third sentence they'd be nodding their heads: Yes, what they're saying is absolutely right. And that's a very, very good thing.

Today we are going to rededicate our country to restoring our river heritage and to reaffirm one of our oldest values, the importance of safeguarding our national treasures for all generations to come.

You know, we didn't get to go to Mount Vernon, but I think it's important to say a few words about the Potomac, since that is our river here. George Washington considered it one of the finest rivers in the world. But regrettably, for most of this century the Potomac suffered in ways that President Washington would have been perfectly appalled by.

By the 1960's, when I came to school here, the river was so polluted that students on the boating teams at Georgetown actually had to get typhoid shots to go out on the water. But today, thanks to the ongoing - I was not on the crew team; that was my excuse. [Laughter] That's a true story. But today, thanks to the ongoing cleanup efforts in communities all up and down this river, the Potomac once again is a genuine, legitimate source of national pride.

All across the country we're seeing this kind of river renaissance. You heard about Chicago and Pittsburgh. We could have talked about Evanston, Wyoming; Cherokee, Iowa; Chattanooga, Tennessee, communities coming together to restore their rivers, to make them both attractive and natural and pure and commercially viable.

Today we take an important step to support and celebrate these efforts when, in a few moments, I will sign an Executive order to launch the new American Heritage Rivers initiative. Through this voluntary program which I first proposed in the State of the Union Address, we will lend our hand of assistance to community-led waterfront projects that protect natural resources, promote economic revitalization, and preserve our cultural heritage.

For 90 days, starting today, communities that have developed plans to restore and reconnect with their rivers may submit nominations to participate in this innovative initiative. Shortly thereafter, a panel of experts will help me select 10 finalist rivers from among the nominations, each of which will earn a designation as an American Heritage River. These rivers, most likely a mix of rural, suburban, and urban rivers, will receive targeted and coordinated assistance to help bring the community plans to life.