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American Heritage Rivers are designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to receive special attention (coordinating efforts of multiple governmental entities) to further three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization, and historic and cultural preservation.

This initiative was created by Executive Order 13061, issued by President Bill Clinton on September 11, 1997.

Rivers are selected for designation according to the following criteria:

• The characteristics of the natural, economic, agricultural, scenic, historic, cultural, or recreational resources of the river that render it distinctive or unique;
• The effectiveness with which the community has defined its plan of action and the extent to which the plan addresses, either through planned actions or past accomplishments, all three American Heritage Rivers objectives;
• The strength and diversity of community support for the nomination as evidenced by letters from elected officials; landowners; private citizens; businesses; and especially State, local, and tribal governments. Broad community support is essential to receiving the American Heritage River designation; and
• Willingness and capability of the community to forge partnerships and agreements to implement their plan to meet their goals and objectives.

• Blackstone and Woonasquatucket Rivers (MA, RI)
• Connecticut River (CT, VT, NH, MA)
• Cuyahoga River (OH)
• Detroit River (MI)
• Hanalei River (HI)
• Hudson River (NY)
• Lower Mississippi River (LA, TN, AR)
  • Wolf River in metropolitan Memphis is bundled with the Lower Mississippi.
• Potomac River (DC, MD, VA, WV)
• New River (NC, VA, WV)
• Rio Grande (TX)
• St. Johns River (FL)
• Upper Mississippi River (IA, IL, MN, MO)
• Upper Susquehanna and Lackawanna Rivers (PA)
• Willamette River (OR)

• American Heritage Rivers on www.epa.gov
• Wolf River Conservancy