[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 194 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 194

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to make matching contributions 
 toward the purchase of the Sterling Forest in the State of New York, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 1995

 Mrs. Roukema introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to make matching contributions 
 toward the purchase of the Sterling Forest in the State of New York, 
                        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. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) there is a compelling Federal interest in protecting 
        the Sterling Forest areas of the States of New York and New 
        Jersey because of their historical and natural significance, 
        including the Appalachian Trail which runs through these areas; 
        and
            (2) the preservation of these areas is important to 
        preserving and maintaining the local ecosystem and to 
        protecting the purity of the water supply of these areas.

SEC 2. MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ACQUISITION OF STERLING FOREST, 
              NEW YORK.

    (a) General Authority.--The Secretary shall make a matching 
contribution to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for the 
acquisition of Sterling Forest by the Commission, and interests in 
Sterling Forest by the Secretary, in accordance with this section. The 
amount of the matching contribution shall be one dollar of Federal 
moneys for each dollar of non-Federal funds received by the Commission 
from a non-Federal source and dedicated to the acquisition of Sterling 
Forest. The total Federal contribution under this section may not 
exceed $25,000,000.
    (b) Acquisition on a Willing Seller Basis.--Federal funds may not 
be used pursuant to this section to purchase any portion of Sterling 
Forest without the consent of the owner thereof.
    (c) Interests Acquired by United States.--The acquisition of 
Sterling Forest pursuant to this section shall reserve to the United 
States conservation easements and rights of public access in and to 
Sterling Forest, as determined by the Secretary, equivalent to 
conservation easements held by the United States as described in 
section 7(k)(2) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 
U.S.C. 2103c(k)(2)).
    (d) Property Taxes.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
authorize the United States Government, or relieve the Commission and 
the State of New York of any obligation otherwise imposed under New 
York State law, to pay property taxes or provide for the costs of 
stewardship and management of any lands located in the State of New 
York which may be acquired pursuant to this section.

SEC. 3. NEW JERSEY PORTION OF STERLING FOREST.

    (a) General Authority.--The Secretary shall make a matching 
contribution to Passaic County, New Jersey, toward the outstanding 
amount owed for the lands described in subsection (b), as specified in 
the consent judgment in the case of County of Passaic against MPS 
Corporation, Sterling Forest Corporation and Sterling Forest 
Development Corporation (Docket No. W-55820-88) entered on September 1, 
1993. The amount of the matching contribution shall be one dollar of 
Federal moneys for each dollar of non-Federal funds paid by Passaic 
County, New Jersey, toward such outstanding amount.
    (b) Lands Described.--The lands referred to in subsection (a) are 
approximately 2,070 acres of lands condemned by Passaic County, New 
Jersey, on October 31, 1988, and the subject of the case referred to in 
subsection (a).

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Sterling Forest'' means the area located in 
        the New York portion of the New York-New Jersey Highlands 
        Region that comprises approximately 17,530 acres and is owned 
        on the date of enactment of this Act by the Sterling Forest 
        Corporation;
            (2) the term ``Commission'' means the Palisades Interstate 
        Park Commission established by interstate compact (Chapter 170 
        of the Laws of 1937 of the State of New York; Chapter 148 of 
        the Laws of 1937 of the State of New Jersey) and approved in 
        1937 by joint resolution of the Congress (Chapter 706; 50 Stat. 
        719); and
            (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
        Interior.
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