← Back to Bills
S 608118th CongressFailed / ExpiredSenate

Deerfield River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2023

Policy Area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
View on Congress.gov
Origin Chamber
Senate
Last Updated
Mar 24, 2026
Latest Action Date
Dec 19, 2024

Latest Action

Held at the desk.

Official Summary

Official summary has not been imported yet.

GovScope Watchdog™

AI Government Intelligence™
Executive Summary

The Deerfield River Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2023 is a Senate bill from the 118th Congress that proposes conducting a study on the Deerfield River to evaluate its eligibility for designation as a Wild and Scenic River. The bill aims to assess the river's natural, cultural, and recreational values to determine if it should receive federal protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The bill has no publicly available summary or full text, and its latest status is that it was held at the desk and ultimately failed or expired as of December 19, 2024.

Bottom Line

This bill sought to initiate a federal study on the Deerfield River's eligibility for Wild and Scenic River designation but did not advance beyond being held at the desk and expired without passage.

Policy Risk Level
🟢 Low
Neutral Risk Assessment
Key Points
  • The bill originates from the Senate during the 118th Congress and focuses on the Deerfield River in the policy area of Public Lands and Natural Resources.
  • Its primary purpose is to authorize a study to evaluate the river's eligibility for Wild and Scenic River status, which could lead to federal protection.
  • The bill was last acted upon on December 19, 2024, when it was held at the desk and subsequently failed or expired without further legislative progress.
Who Benefits?

['Federal agencies involved in natural resource management, such as the National Park Service, which administers the Wild and Scenic Rivers program.', 'Local communities and stakeholders near the Deerfield River who may benefit from potential federal protection and related conservation efforts.', 'Environmental and recreational organizations interested in river conservation and public land preservation.']

Potential Concerns

["The bill's failure to advance may reflect challenges in securing legislative support or prioritization within Congress.", 'Without passage, no federal study or subsequent protection measures will be initiated, potentially delaying conservation efforts.', 'The absence of detailed bill text limits understanding of specific provisions, funding mechanisms, or enforcement authorities that would have been involved.']

Political Context

The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 118th Congress and relates to ongoing federal efforts to identify and protect rivers with significant natural, cultural, or recreational value. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act provides the framework for such designations. The bill's status as held at the desk and eventual expiration indicates it did not progress through the legislative process before the end of the session.

Hidden Impact Review

Hidden impact flags detected: 2

GovScope reviewed 2 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.

2 Detected
Detected Flags
Indirect Effects

['If enacted, the study could lead to increased federal involvement in river management, potentially affecting local land use and development.', 'Designation as a Wild and Scenic River might enhance tourism and recreational opportunities, impacting local economies.', "Conversely, failure to pass the bill may delay conservation initiatives and federal recognition of the river's values."]

GovScope Watchdog Notes

Transparency is limited due to the absence of the full bill text and official summary, which constrains detailed analysis of provisions, funding, and enforcement. The bill's status as held at the desk and failure to pass highlights the importance of tracking legislative progress to understand which proposals advance and which do not. Monitoring similar future bills could provide insight into evolving federal priorities for river conservation.

Passage Likelihood: LowConfidence: 85%Model: gpt-4.1-mini

GovScope Intelligence Roadmap

Future bill intelligence will connect sponsors, committee referrals, related votes, campaign finance, disclosures, and stock trades into one legislative intelligence view.

Enterprise Ready