[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1256 Introduced in House (IH)]
104th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1256
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide funds to the
Palisades Interstate Park Commission for acquisition of land in the
Sterling Forest area of the New York/New Jersey Highlands Region, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 15, 1995
Mr. Torricelli (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, and Mr. Gilman) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide funds to the
Palisades Interstate Park Commission for acquisition of land in the
Sterling Forest area of the New York/New Jersey Highlands Region, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Sterling Forest Protection Act of
1995''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) the Palisades Interstate Park Commission was
established pursuant to a joint resolution of the 75th Congress
approved in 1937 (Public Resolution No. 65; ch. 706; 50 Stat.
719), and chapter 170 of the Laws of 1937 of the State of New
York and chapter 148 of the Laws of 1937 of the State of New
Jersey;
(2) the Palisades Interstate Park Commission is responsible
for the management of 23 parks and historic sites in New York
and New Jersey, comprising over 82,000 acres;
(3) over 8,000,000 visitors annually seek outdoor
recreational opportunities within the Palisades Park System;
(4) Sterling Forest is a biologically diverse open space on
the New Jersey border comprising approximately 17,500 acres,
and is a highly significant watershed area for the State of New
Jersey, providing the source for clean drinking water for 25
percent of the State;
(5) Sterling Forest is an important outdoor recreational
asset in the northeastern United States, within the most
densely populated metropolitan region in the Nation;
(6) Sterling Forest supports a mixture of hardwood forests,
wetlands, lakes, glaciated valleys, is strategically located on
a wildlife migratory route, and provides important habitat for
27 rare or endangered species;
(7) the protection of Sterling Forest would greatly enhance
the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a portion of which
passes through Sterling Forest, and would provide for enhanced
recreational opportunities through the protection of lands
which are an integral element of the trail and which would
protect important trail viewsheds;
(8) stewardship and management costs for units of the
Palisades Park System are paid for by the States of New York
and New Jersey; thus, the protection of Sterling Forest through
the Palisades Interstate Park Commission will involve a minimum
of Federal funds;
(9) given the nationally significant watershed, outdoor
recreational, and wildlife qualities of Sterling Forest, the
demand for open space in the northeastern United States, and
the lack of open space in the densely populated tri-state
region, there is a clear Federal interest in acquiring the
Sterling Forest for permanent protection of the watershed,
outdoor recreational resources, flora and fauna, and open
space; and
(10) such an acquisition would represent a cost effective
investment, as compared with the costs that would be incurred
to protect drinking water for the region should the Sterling
Forest be developed.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to establish the Sterling Forest Reserve in the State
of New York to protect the significant watershed, wildlife, and
recreational resources within the New York-New Jersey highlands
region;
(2) to authorize Federal funding, through the Department of
the Interior, for a portion of the acquisition costs for the
Sterling Forest Reserve;
(3) to direct the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to
convey to the Secretary of the Interior certain interests in
lands acquired within the Reserve; and
(4) to provide for the management of the Sterling Forest
Reserve by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the
Palisades Interstate Park Commission established pursuant to
Public Resolution No. 65 approved August 19, 1937 (ch. 707; 50
Stat. 719).
(2) Reserve.--The term ``Reserve'' means the Sterling
Forest Reserve.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STERLING FOREST RESERVE.
(a) Establishment.--Upon the certification by the Commission to the
Secretary that the Commission has acquired sufficient lands or
interests therein to constitute a manageable unit, there is established
the Sterling Forest Reserve in the State of New York.
(b) Map.--
(1) Composition.--The Reserve shall consist of lands and
interests therein acquired by the Commission within the
approximately 17,500 acres of lands as generally depicted on
the map entitled ``Boundary Map, Sterling Forest Reserve'',
numbered SFR-60,001 and dated July 1, 1994.
(2) Availability for public inspection.--The map described
in paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the offices of the Commission and the appropriate
offices of the National Park Service.
(c) Transfer of Funds.--Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary
shall transfer to the Commission such funds as are appropriated for the
acquisition of lands and interests therein within the Reserve.
(d) Conditions of Funding.--
(1) Agreement by the commission.--Prior to the receipt of
any Federal funds authorized by this Act, the Commission shall
agree to the following:
(A) Conveyance of lands in event of failure to
manage.--If the Commission fails to manage the lands
acquired within the Reserve in a manner that is
consistent with this Act, the Commission shall convey
fee title to such lands to the United States, and the
agreement stated in this subparagraph shall be recorded
at the time of purchase of all lands acquired within
the Reserve.
(B) Consent of owners.--No lands or interest in
land may be acquired with any Federal funds authorized
or transferred pursuant to this Act except with the
consent of the owner of the land or interest in land.
(C) Inability to acquire lands.--If the Commission
is unable to acquire all of the lands within the
Reserve, to the extent Federal funds are utilized
pursuant to this Act, the Commission shall acquire all
or a portion of the lands identified as ``National Park
Service Wilderness Easement Lands'' and ``National Park
Service Conservation Easement Lands'' on the map
described in section 5(b) before proceeding with the
acquisition of any other lands within the Reserve.
(D) Conveyance of easement.--Within 30 days after
acquiring any of the lands identified as ``National
Park Service Wilderness Easement Lands'' and ``National
Park Service Conservation Easement Lands'' on the map
described in section 5(b), the Commission shall convey
to the United States--
(i) conservation easements on the lands
described as ``National Park Service Wilderness
Easement Lands'' on the map described in
section 5(b), which easements shall provide
that the lands shall be managed to protect
their wilderness character; and
(ii) conservation easements on the lands
described as ``National Park Service
Conservation Easement Lands'' on the map
described in section 5(b), which easements
shall restrict and limit development and use of
the property to that development and use that
is--
(I) compatible with the protection
of the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail; and
(II) consistent with the general
management plan prepared pursuant to
section 6(b).
(2) Matching funds.--Funds may be transferred to the
Commission only to the extent that they are matched from funds
contributed by non-Federal sources.
SEC. 6. MANAGEMENT OF THE RESERVE.
(a) In General.--The Commission shall manage the lands acquired
within the Reserve in a manner that is consistent with the Commission's
authorities and with the purposes of this Act.
(b) General Management Plan.--Within 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall prepare a general
management plan for the Reserve and submit the plan to the Secretary
for approval.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as are necessary to carry out this Act, to remain available until
expended.
(b) Land Acquisition.--Of amounts appropriated pursuant to
subsection (a), the Secretary may transfer to the Commission not more
than $17,500,000 for the acquisition of lands and interests in land
within the Reserve.
<all>