"It's not like we're going to stop any of these sorts of development activities from happening. We just want to make sure they're consistent with the way the river is today," Danenhauer said.

Some rivers that already may qualify for protection are valued for their role as fisheries or for recreation. A listing by Congress would mean those rivers would need to be managed to protect or enhance those values, Danenhauer said. If there is a road or development near a river, such as the Logan River, any development would need to be consistent with what's there today.

Until the process is able to vet which rivers or segments should get federal protection, all 86 under consideration are supposed to be maintained as "wild and scenic," Danenhauer noted. If they don't make the list, they'll be "released," opening them up for other things, including dams and diversions.

"We support every single one of those 86," he said. "The goal is to preserve rivers that are threatened."

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