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AHRI - American Heritage Rivers Initiative

During the 1997 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton announced a plan to...

"designate ten American Heritage Rivers, to help communities alongside them to revitalize their waterfronts and clean up pollution in the rivers, proving once again that we can grow the economy as we protect the environment."

The White House initiative that grew from this announcement is the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. It is an innovative response to help river communities seek federal assistance and other resources to meet local needs and challenges. Without any new regulations on private property owners, state, local or tribal governments, the American Heritage Rivers Initiative is about making more efficient and effective use of existing federal resources, cutting red-tape, and lending a helping hand. New River Community Partners has taken this concept a step further to include the efficient and effective use of state and private resources as well.

The following September, river communities from across the United States learned how the process of becoming an American Heritage River would work. A respective river community had about three months to submit an application to receive the designation and distinction of becoming an American Heritage River. Leaders with one hundred twenty-six rivers submitted applications to participate in the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. The President’s first announcement called for ten rivers to be named. However, because of the widespread interest in the Initiative, the charter group of American Heritage Rivers increased to fourteen rivers. A formal announcement and designation of the first fourteen American Heritage Rivers occurred along the banks of the New River, in Ashe County, North Carolina. President Clinton, Vice President Gore and other dignitaries celebrated the launch of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative during this special event on July 30, 1998.

For the AHRI’s first ten years, River Navigators and Community Partners have met annually to mark their progress with the Initiative and to share those intangible resources of experience and expertise in delivering community services. These meetings have typically occurred within one of the designated watersheds. The New River hosted the 2006 annual meeting, which further conceptualized the forming of a non-profit corporation, the American Heritage Rivers Alliance, to promote locally driven efforts that address environmental, economic, cultural and heritage assets within American Heritage River communities.

For further information visit:

American Heritage Rivers Alliance Online