Mullica River Watershed Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2026
SB4595, titled the Mullica River Watershed Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2026, would amend the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to add the Mullica River watershed in New Jersey to the list of river areas eligible for study for possible future designation as a wild and scenic river. The bill covers the Mullica River, Wading River, Batsto River, and numerous named tributaries and branches within the watershed, identifying specific river segments from their headwaters to their confluences.
The measure does not itself designate the watershed as a wild and scenic river. Instead, it directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete a study within three years after funds are made available and to submit a report to the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. In practical terms, the bill would place the Mullica River watershed into the federal study process used to evaluate scenic, recreational, ecological, and other values relevant to permanent protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
If enacted and funded, the bill would amend 16 U.S.C. 1276 to add a new study area entry for the Mullica River watershed and require a federal study and report. It would not by itself change land ownership, water rights, or regulatory status, but it could be the first step toward future wild and scenic river designation, which can affect federal land management, development review, and conservation planning in the watershed.
The available record suggests generally favorable or at least noncontroversial treatment, as the bill was introduced by Senators Kim and Booker and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources without recorded opposition, amendments, or votes in the materials provided. The absence of committee transcripts or roll-call votes limits the ability to gauge broader debate, but the bill appears to be a targeted conservation measure with bipartisan procedural support at introduction.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if the bill advances, would likely involve whether the federal government should study or potentially designate additional river segments, and how such a designation might affect local land use, property interests, recreation, and watershed management. However, no opposing arguments, stakeholder concerns, or recorded vote divisions are included here.