A push to get the federal "wild and scenic" designation for the lower stretch of the Farmington River — and the assistance that comes with it — was approved by a Senate committee Thursday.

U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy said the Senate's energy and natural resources committee approved legislation he introduced that would reclassify a 62-mile section of the river, from the Collinsville section of Canton to where it empties into the Connecticut River. The Salmon Brook in Granby would also be covered by the bill.

Murphy said the designation opens up the opportunity for river advocates to get as much as $100,000 for cleanup and conservation projects. The bill now heads for a vote by the full Senate. Companion legislation is pending in the House of Representatives.

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by Congress in 1968 to preserve certain rivers by classifying them as wild, scenic or recreational. The act encourages and provides assistance for river management and protection, according to the system's website.

A 14-mile section of the upper Farmington River, from the West Branch Reservoir to where the river meets Cherry Brook in Canton, was given a wild and scenic designation in 1994.

"Now that we've cleared this hurdle, we're one step closer to ensuring future generations will be able to experience the natural environment and history of these beautiful places," Murphy said in a statement. "I'm thrilled that people here in Washington are listening to the needs of Connecticut's local residents, and I'll be working to get this bill passed into law as soon as possible."

Advocates for the lower end of the Farmington River have pushed for the status for years.

"I think people along the lower part of the river saw the success the wild and scenic designation has been for the upper part of the river and wanted to be a part of that," said Jamie Fosburgh, wild and scenic river program manager for the New England region of the National Park Service, which manages the program. "I'm encouraged because we have not seen this much progress in the past."

In the House, the companion legislation is pending in the natural resources committee. Samaia Hernandez, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, said Esty plans to meet with the chairman of the committee this week to push for action on the bill.

"The lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook are unparalleled natural treasures with some of the highest water quality in Connecticut," Esty said in a statement in which she praised the Senate's action.

Connecticut has approximately 5,828 miles of rivers, of which 39.3 miles — less than 1 percent, not including the lower portion of the Farmington — are designated as wild and scenic, according to the park service. About 25 miles of the Eightmile River, which flows through a watershed in the towns of Salem, East Haddam and Lyme, also have wild and scenic designation.