Dozens of people involved in the process of advocating for the federal designation of the Taunton River as a Wild and Scenic River gathered at Heritage State Park on May 27, 2009 to celebrate the achievement. The designation was in the Public Land Management Act that included more than 150 bills on parks, wilderness and land protection measures signed into law by President Barack Obama in March, 2009. The Act requires that rivers within the system be preserved in free flowing condition and managed to protect and enhance their outstanding values. It prohibits the federal government from funding or issuing permits for water resource projects that would have a “direct and adverse impact” on those values.The legislation was a product of the Taunton River Wild & Scenic River Study Committee that advocated for the bill's passage. The bill designates the first 18 mile segment starting in Bridgewater to be classified as scenic, the next five mile section as  recreational, the next eight mile segment as scenic, and the final nine mile segment, from Muddy Cove in Dighton to the Braga Bridge, as recreational. Click here for the Channel 10 news report. Click here for the Herald News article. Click here for photos of a 2007 Taunton River celebration.
 

(Top row, left) Jamie Fosburgh WTSR Program Manager for the National Park Service, Steve Smith of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), and Rick Shane of the Somerset Historical Commission sign in at the celebration in the Heritage State Park visitors' center. (Top row, center) Carolyn Lamarre, executive director of the Taunton River Watershed Alliance welcomes Mayor Robert Correia and Priscilla Chapman Taunton Watershed Advocate for the Massachusetts Audubon. (Top row, right) Al Lima of Green Futures talks with Joe Carvalho of the Coalition for Responsible Siting of LNG Facilities. (Middle row, left) Fall River City Councilor talks with Roger Desrosier of the Dighton Intertribal Indian Council  and a member of the Taunton River Wild & Scenic River Study Committee. (Middle row, center) Congressman Jim McGovern praises everyone in attendance for their advocacy in supporting the legislation. (Middle row, right) Janet Label of Senator John F. Kerry's office chats with Congressman Barney Frank before presenting to the gathered guests. (Bottom row, left) Everett Castro of Green Futures talks with Mary Griffin, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game. (Bottom row, center and right) James Ross of the Wild & Scenic River Study Committee welcomes the gathered audience in the auditorium as photos of the River are projected behind him after posing earlier with Robert Davis of the Study Committee and Jim's son Luke Hutter Ross of the Taunton River Watershed Alliance.