State Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown, has been named to the Ocoee River Recreation & Economic Development Board, according to a news release.
Earlier this year, Howell sponsored the legislation that created the board and creates a structure to support recreational water releases on the Ocoee River and encourage economic growth in the region the Ocoee serves.
House Speaker Beth Harwell named Howell as one of the board's 15 members, who serve four-year, renewable terms.
The Ocoee is the most popular whitewater river in the nation, the news release states, adding that more than 5 million people have used it over the last 10 years. The river also hosted the whitewater slalom events during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta; it creates an estimated 640 jobs for Tennesseans through tourism and has a total economic impact of $43.8 million in the southeastern portion of our state.
"I am honored to be appointed to the Ocoee River Recreation & Economic Development Fund Board by Speaker Harwell," Rep. Howell said in the release. "I know our work will continue to enhance our local economy by maintaining and creating jobs; it will also guarantee that our residents and citizens across the country are able to enjoy these historic waters for many more years."