Bill targets Conn's Farmington River, Salmon Brook

SIMSBURY, Conn. (AP) — Members of Connecticut's congressional delegation are announcing new legislation aimed at protecting the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook.

The bill would designate the waterways as protected under the U.S. National Park Service Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The designation would affect Avon, Bloomfield, Burlington, Canton, East Granby, Farmington, Granby, Hartland, Simsbury and Windsor.

Connecticut Sens. Joe Lieberman and Richard Blumenthal are sponsoring legislation in the Senate and Reps. Chris Murphy and John Larson are sponsoring a similar bill in the House of Representatives. They're scheduled to appear at a news conference in Simsbury on Monday to discuss their efforts.

The designation attempts to protect rivers from development that would substantially change their wild or scenic nature. The upper portion of the Farmington River was granted protected status in 1994.