Hatchie River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2025
H.R. 949, the Hatchie River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2025, would designate a specific segment of the Hatchie River in Tennessee for study under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The bill adds a 163-mile segment (from the Mississippi-Tennessee state line to the Hatchie’s confluence with the Mississippi River) to the list of rivers designated for study. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete the study within three years after funds are made available and to report the results to Congress. The study must consider opportunities to administer the segment in partnership with state, regional, local, and community stakeholders, laying groundwork for potential future designation. In short, the bill does not designate the river as Wild and Scenic today, but creates a formal, time-limited study process to evaluate suitability and management options, with a strong emphasis on stakeholder collaboration.
Key Points
- 1Designation for study: Adds the Hatchie River, Tennessee (approximately 163 miles from the Mississippi-Tennessee line to the Mississippi River) to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as a segment designated for study.
- 2Study deadline: The Secretary of the Interior must complete the study within 3 years after funds are available and deliver a report to Congress detailing the results.
- 3Study scope: The study must identify opportunities to administer the Hatchie segment in partnership with state, regional, local, and community stakeholders.
- 4Legislative framework: Amendments are made to Sections 5(a) and 5(b) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to incorporate the Hatchie River study.
- 5Procedural status: Introduced in the House by Rep. Kustoff on February 4, 2025 and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.