[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 170 (Friday, November 21, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H12118-H12121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HIGHLANDS CONSERVATION ACT
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1964) to establish the Highlands Stewardship Area in the
States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1964
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 ``Highlands Conservation
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following--
(1) The Highlands region is a physiographic province that
encompasses more than 2,000,000 acres extending from eastern
Pennsylvania through the States of New Jersey and New York to
northwestern Connecticut.
(2) The Highlands region is an environmentally unique area
that--
(A) provides clean drinking water to over 15,000,000 people
in metropolitan areas in the States of Connecticut, New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania;
(B) provides critical wildlife habitat, including habitat
for 247 threatened and endangered species;
(C) maintains an important historic connection to early
Native American culture, colonial settlement, the American
Revolution, and the Civil War;
(D) contains recreational resources for 14 million visitors
annually;
(E) provides other significant ecological, natural,
tourism, recreational, educational, and economic benefits;
and
(F) provides homeownership opportunities and access to
affordable housing that is safe, clean, and healthy.
(3) An estimated 1 in 12 citizens of the United States live
within a 2-hour drive of the Highlands region.
(4) More than 1,400,000 residents live in the Highlands
region.
(5) The Highlands region forms a greenbelt adjacent to the
Philadelphia-New York City-Hartford urban corridor that
offers the opportunity to preserve water, forest and
agricultural resources, wildlife habitat, recreational areas,
and historic sites, while encouraging sustainable economic
growth and development in a fiscally and environmentally
sound manner.
(6) Continued population growth and land use patterns in
the Highlands region--
(A) reduce the availability and quality of water;
(B) reduce air quality;
(C) fragment the forests;
(D) destroy critical migration corridors and forest
habitat; and
(E) result in the loss of recreational opportunities and
scenic, historic, and cultural resources.
(7) The water, forest, wildlife, recreational,
agricultural, and cultural resources of the Highlands region,
in combination with the proximity of the Highlands region to
the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, make the
Highlands region nationally significant.
(8) The national significance of the Highlands region has
been documented in--
(A) the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study
conducted by the Forest Service in 1990;
(B) the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002
Update conducted by the Forest Service;
(C) the bi-State Skylands Greenway Task Force Report;
(D) the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment
Plan;
(E) the New York State Open Space Conservation Plan;
(F) the Connecticut Green Plan: Open Space Acquisition FY
2001-2006;
(G) the open space plans of the State of Pennsylvania; and
(H) other open space conservation plans for States in the
Highlands region.
(9) The Highlands region includes or is adjacent to
numerous parcels of land owned by the Federal Government or
federally designated areas that protect, conserve, or restore
resources of the Highlands region, including--
(A) the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge;
(B) the Shawanagunk Grasslands Wildlife Refuge;
(C) the Morristown National Historical Park;
(D) the Delaware and Lehigh Canal Corridors;
(E) the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area;
(F) the Delaware River Basin;
(G) the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area;
(H) the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River;
(I) the Appalachian National Scenic Trail;
(J) the United States Military Academy at West Point, New
York;
(K) the Highlands National Millenium Trail;
(L) the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge;
(M) the proposed Crossroads of the Revolution National
Heritage Area;
(N) the proposed Musconetcong National Scenic and
Recreational River in New Jersey; and
(O) the Farmington River Wild and Scenic Area in
Connecticut.
(10) It is in the interest of the United States to protect,
conserve, and restore the resources of the Highlands region
for the residents of, and visitors to, the Highlands region.
(11) The States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania, and units of local government in the Highlands
region have the primary responsibility for protecting,
conserving, preserving, restoring and promoting the resources
of the Highlands region.
(12) Because of the longstanding Federal practice of
assisting States in creating, protecting, conserving, and
restoring areas of significant natural and cultural
importance, and the national significance of the Highlands
region, the Federal Government should, in partnership with
the Highlands States and units of local government in the
Highlands region, protect, restore, and preserve the water,
forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational and cultural
resources of the Highlands region.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To recognize the importance of the water, forest,
agricultural, wildlife, recreational and cultural resources
of the Highlands, and the national significance of the
Highlands region to the United States.
(2) To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to work in
partnership with the Secretary of Agriculture to provide
financial assistance to the Highlands States to preserve and
protect high priority conservation lands in the Highlands
region.
(3) To continue the ongoing Forest Service programs in the
Highlands region to assist the Highlands States, local units
of government and private forest and farm landowners in the
conservation of lands and natural resources in the Highlands
region.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Highlands region.--The term ``Highlands region'' means
the physiographic province, defined by the Reading Prong and
ecologically similar adjacent upland areas, that encompasses
more than 2,000,000 acres extending from eastern Pennsylvania
through the States of New Jersey and New York to northwestern
Connecticut.
(2) Highlands state.--The term ``Highlands State'' means--
(A) the State of Connecticut;
(B) the State of New Jersey;
(C) the State of New York;
(D) the State of Pennsylvania; and
(E) any agency or department of any Highlands State.
(3) Land conservation partnership project.--The term ``land
conservation partnership project'' means a land conservation
project located within the Highlands region identified as
having high conservation value by the Forest Service in which
a non-Federal entity acquires land or an interest in land
from a willing seller for the purpose of permanently
protecting, conserving, or preserving the land through a
partnership with the Federal Government.
(4) Non-federal entity.--The term ``non-Federal entity''
means any Highlands State, or any agency or department of any
Highlands State with authority to own and manage land for
conservation purposes, including the Palisades Interstate
Park Commission.
(5) Study.--The term ``study'' means the New York-New
Jersey Highlands Regional Study conducted by the Forest
Service in 1990.
(6) Update.--The term ``update'' means the New York-New
Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update conducted by the
Forest Service.
SEC. 5. LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS IN THE
HIGHLANDS REGION.
(a) Submission of Proposed Projects.--Annually, the
Governors of the Highlands States, with input from pertinent
units of local government and the public, may jointly
identify land conservation partnership projects in the
Highlands region that shall be proposed for Federal financial
assistance and submit a list of those projects to the
Secretary of the Interior.
(b) Consideration of Projects.--The Secretary of the
Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture,
shall annually submit to Congress a list of those land
conservation partnership projects submitted under subsection
(a) that are eligible to receive financial assistance under
this section.
(c) Eligibility Conditions.--To be eligible for financial
assistance under this section for a land conservation
partnership project, a non-Federal entity shall enter into an
agreement with the Secretary of the Interior that--
(1) identifies the non-Federal entity that shall own or
hold and manage the land or interest in land;
(2) identifies the source of funds to provide the non-
Federal share required under subsection (d);
(3) describes the management objectives for the land that
will assure permanent protection and use of the land for the
purpose for which the assistance will be provided;
(4) provides that, if the non-Federal entity converts,
uses, or disposes of the land conservation partnership
project for a purpose inconsistent with the purpose for which
the assistance was provided, as determined by the Secretary
of the Interior, the United States may seek specific
performance of the conditions of financial assistance in
accordance with paragraph (3) in Federal court and shall be
entitled to reimbursement from the non-Federal entity in an
amount that is, as determined at the time of conversion, use,
or disposal, the greater of--
(A) the total amount of the financial assistance provided
for the project by the Federal Government under this section;
or
(B) the amount by which the financial assistance increased
the value of the land or interest in land; and
(5) provides that land conservation partnership projects
will be consistent with areas identified as having high
conservation value in the following:
(A) Important Areas portion of the Forest Service study.
[[Page H12119]]
(B) Conservation Focal Areas portion of the Forest Service
update.
(C) Conservation Priorities portion of the update.
(D) Lands identified as having higher or highest resource
value in the Conservation Values Assessment portion of the
update.
(d) Non-Federal Share Requirement.--The Federal share of
the cost of carrying out a land conservation partnership
project under this section shall not exceed 50 percent of the
total cost of the land conservation partnership project.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior from the
general funds of the Treasury or the Land and Water
Conservation Fund to carry out this section $10,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2014. Amounts
appropriated pursuant to this authorization of appropriations
shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 6. FOREST SERVICE AND USDA PROGRAMS IN THE HIGHLANDS
REGION.
(a) In General.--In order to meet the land resource goals
of, and the scientific and conservation challenges identified
in, the study, update, and any future study that the Forest
Service may undertake in the Highlands region, the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service and in consultation with the Chief of the National
Resources Conservation Service, shall continue to assist the
Highlands States, local units of government, and private
forest and farm landowners in the conservation of lands and
natural resources in the Highlands region.
(b) Duties.--The Forest Service shall--
(1) in consultation with the Highlands States, undertake
other studies and research as appropriate in the Highlands
region consistent with the purposes of this Act;
(2) communicate the findings of the study and update and
maintain a public dialogue regarding implementation of the
study and update; and
(3) assist the Highland States, local units of government,
individual landowners, and private organizations in
identifying and using Forest Service and other technical and
financial assistance programs of the Department of
Agriculture.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry
out this section $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2005
through 2014.
SEC. 7. PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTION AND LACK OF REGULATORY
EFFECT.
(a) Access to Private Property.--Nothing in this Act shall
be construed to--
(1) require any private property owner to permit public
access (including Federal, State, or local government access)
to such private property; and
(2) modify any provision of Federal, State, or local law
with regard to public access to or use of private lands.
(b) Liability.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
create any liability, or to have any effect on any liability
under any other law, of any private property owner with
respect to any persons injured on such private property.
(c) Recognition of Authority to Control Land Use.--Nothing
in this Act shall be construed to modify any authority of
Federal, State, or local governments to regulate land use.
(d) Participation of Private Property Owners.--Nothing in
this Act shall be construed to require the owner of any
private property located in the Highlands region to
participate in the land conservation, financial, or technical
assistance or any other programs established under this Act.
(e) Purchase of Lands or Interests in Lands From Willing
Sellers Only.--Funds appropriated to carry out this Act shall
be used to purchase lands or interests in lands only from
willing sellers.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
General Leave
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1964.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1964, introduced by my good friend, the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and amended by the Committee on
Resources, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to States to
preserve and protect high priority conservation lands in the Highlands
region. This geographic region encompasses over 2 million acres of land
stretching from western Connecticut across the Lower Hudson River
Valley and northern New Jersey into northeastern Pennsylvania.
Mr. Speaker, not only has the U.S. Forest Service documented the
national significance of the Highlands area in two extensive studies in
1990 and 2002, but the President in his 2004 budget recognized the New
York-New Jersey Highlands forest area as one of nine priority forests
areas in the country that are threatened.
H.R. 1964, as amended, is supported by the administration and the
majority and minority of the committee. I urge adoption of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the goals of H.R. 1964. The purpose of
this legislation is to facilitate conservation and preservation, ideals
we fight for in this Congress on a regular basis.
However, we must point out that the scope of H.R. 1964 is truly
stunning. This legislation will create a new Federal conservation
program covering 2 million acres and 1.4 million people in 4 States.
The precise boundaries of this new Federally created area are only
generally defined in the bill, and there are no references to a map to
allow property owners to know if their property is included or not.
Furthermore, the goals of this new conservation program are sweeping.
The bill states that the Federal Government should work with States,
units of local government and private property owners to ``protect,
restore and preserve the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife,
recreational and cultural resources'' contained in this new Federal
area. It is difficult to imagine a broader conservation mandate.
Given the ongoing and severe underfunding of the land and water
conservation funds, we continue to have concerns regarding the impact
of this new $100 million effort may have on other worthy conservation
programs funded with LWCF dollars. However, we will support H.R. 1964
at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
time.
My thanks to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), and
particular thanks to the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr.
Pombo), the chair of the House Committee on Resources, for all of his
work and the work of his staff that have helped improve this bill and
make it possible for us to discuss it and vote on it today. I also
thank the ranking member for her assistance and recognize the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Engel), who is going to speak later, as well as the
gentlewoman New York (Mrs. Kelly) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Gerlach) and over 30 Members of Congress that are sponsoring this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, the Highlands is one of the last open treasures in the
most densely populated area of the United States. In New Jersey alone,
my home State, it includes more than a million acres of forests, farms,
streams, wetlands, lakes, reservoirs and historic sites. We need to
preserve these assets.
The Highlands Conservation Act represents a major commitment to
protect them. While remaining mindful of property rights, this bill
complements ongoing State, private and local partnerships that are
actively working to protect open space. Our bill does not ask the
Federal Government to become the landowner or steward to these lands;
rather, the people of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and
Pennsylvania would retain ownership and responsibility for caretaking
of these lands. Indeed, the government will not be taking any land.
Participants would all be willing sellers.
Mr. Speaker, the President recognized the national significance of
the Highlands in his 2004 budget message in January and designated the
Highlands as one of nine national priorities areas threatened by
development.
{time} 1045
These lands, as the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) has said,
have been identified by the U.S. Forest Service in virtually all other
Federal, State and local entities as critical lands in need of
preservation.
[[Page H12120]]
This bill represents an opportunity for the Federal Government to
work with the State government and local groups to preserve the
Highlands. It is a unique opportunity, an historic opportunity, and it
is a symbolic opportunity of the Federal Government to work with so
many partners.
This legislation also represents a landmark commitment of the Federal
Government to the Highlands. It is a genuine partnership. It is
important to preserving open space. I am proud to support the bill and
to have so many partners in that regard.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Engel).
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to
me, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 1954, the Highland Stewardship
Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. I pledged
that I would do everything in my power to pass this bill, and I am
delighted that this bill is on the floor today.
I want to start by thanking the Committee on Resources chairman, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the gentleman from West Virginia
(Mr. Rahall), the ranking member, and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Radanovich), the subcommittee chairman, and the gentlewoman from
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), the subcommittee ranking member,
for their assistance and support.
More importantly, I want to commend the sponsor of this legislation
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen). It is because of his
vigorous and stalwart support of this bill and his active participation
in moving it forward that we are here today. It has been a pleasure to
work with him, and this is a very, very important bill not only for his
district and my district, but for many, many districts and many, many
States in the Northeast.
I represent Rockland County. We have a pristine area there which is
very, very important, and we need to protect this area. We very often
talk about suburban sprawl and development, which is unwanted and which
would mar this pristine land. This bill gives us the opportunity to
balance that. That is what is so important.
The Highlands in my district encompasses an area totally of 1.5
million acres from the lower Hudson River Valley in New York to the
Delaware River in New Jersey. Within this area are some spectacular
things to see and do, and, of course, many people, 1.4 million people,
live within the Highlands area.
The Highlands adjoins a metropolitan area, the New York metropolitan
area, with a population of more than 20 million people. More than 11
million people rely on the Highlands' drinking water resources, which
serves at least half of New York City's water supply. More than 14
million people visit the Highlands each year for recreational
opportunities. Over 240 species of birds, mammals, amphibians and
reptiles depend on Highlands habitat, and more than 160 historical and
cultural sites have been identified in the region.
Where once apple farms and bungalows dotted the landscape, we now
have 300,000 people living in Rockland County, and as I mentioned
before, it is very, very important to have that balance between
development and preserving pristine areas such as this.
The Federal Government has an important role to play in protecting
our area of national significance here in our own backyard. I have
supported increased funding for Forest Service programs such as the
Forest Legacy Program, the Forest Stewardship Program and the new
Forest Land Enhancement Program that protect environmentally sensitive
forestlands such as the Highlands.
Again, I want to say that it is vitally important that the Federal
Government facilitate partnerships between all levels of government to
protect the Highlands and prevent the region from suffering from
further urban sprawl. My district is a combination of an urban district
and a suburban district, and I am very, very sensitive to the needs of
the suburbs, and this bill and the money put into this bill goes a long
way in keeping that balance and keeping these lands pristine.
The Highlands Act will really move us far along in this effort
because we do not want further urban sprawl. So I thank the chairs and
ranking members and, again, most of all, my friend from New Jersey (Mr.
Frelinghuysen). This is truly bipartisan and truly a very, very good
day for the American people.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield what time he may consume to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo), the chairman of the Committee on
Resources.
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the
time.
I come to the floor today to speak in support of this bill. This is
the kind of legislation that in the past I have opposed and have had
concerns about, but I have to give all due credit to my colleague the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) for the work that they put into this bill.
When they originally introduced this legislation, I had some concerns
over it, and they came in and sat down with me, and we were able to
work through all of the concerns that I had, and they were very good at
coming in and sitting down and working through the property rights
concerns that I had, what impact this would have on small property
owners that were involved with this area, and gave me the assurances
that as we worked our way through this process, that their private
property rights would be protected. They were willing to accept
language into the bill that protects those small property owners, and I
think that that is extremely important.
I will tell my colleagues, on any legislation like this in the future
that we choose to move through the Committee on Resources, we will use
this bill as a template, as a way to get things done in a bipartisan
way in trying to move forward with a Federal and a local partnership in
protecting lands that are environmentally sensitive and that are
important, but at the same time protecting the property rights of those
individual owners, which is something that is extremely important to
me.
So I just want to come down here and tell my colleagues I strongly
support this legislation. I think that the work that the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Frelinghuysen) did on this is a very, very positive step for the
future. I know that they are going to do great things with this. I know
that this land is extremely important to them. So I look forward to
working with them in future and making sure that these lands are
protected, at the same time that small property owners are protected.
So I thank them for all of the great work that they did, and I urge
my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), my good friend and classmate.
Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of H.R.
1964, the Highlands Conservation Act.
I want to congratulate the chairmen and ranking members for getting
this to the floor, but I want to pay particular attention, and I know
he does not like this but I will do it anyway, to the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen). This has been a continuation, Mr.
Speaker, of his work in the New Jersey State Legislature, not to
balance anything, but to secure and preserve lands not only in New
Jersey, but to set a model throughout the United States, and I think he
has done that, and he has done it in a most professional way.
I am proud to work with my colleagues across the aisle for years to
preserve and protect this magnificent sweep of the Appalachian ridges,
stretching for 1.5 million acres across New Jersey and New York.
The Highlands are an essential source of drinking water, we have
heard that already, clean air, and wildlife habitat, and recreational
opportunities for nearly 25 million people located right in the
backyard of our Nation's most densely populated region. The irony is
staring us right in the face.
The Highlands region has been in grave danger throughout the last
decade. The region lost 5,200 acres a year to intensive development of
strip malls and office campuses. Development also threatens the water
supply for millions of residents in New Jersey and endangers critical
wildlife.
[[Page H12121]]
In land right next to my district, millions of residents enjoy the
drinking water and the recreational resources of the Ramapo Mountains,
the Wyanokie Highlands and the Pequannock Watershed. This bill will
provide millions of dollars in land preservation assistance to protect
this core of wilderness in our region.
The Highlands Conservation Act should be a model for future land
preservation efforts. We have debated land preservation on this very
floor, and yes, we need to have a sensible approach to it and respect,
as the gentleman from California pointed out, property rights.
This legislation encourages a strong partnership between the Federal,
State and local communities, and the gentleman from New Jersey, my
colleague in the State legislature, this has been the center of his
work on preservation, and it is fitting, it is fitting on this floor
that we salute his efforts, particularly at a time when things can get
downright contentious here.
The bipartisan efforts we have made to create innovative legislation
that preserves critical land while respecting the rights of property
owners should set a standard for this House. Advocates for this bill
worked tirelessly with environmentalists and private industry to create
a worthy compromise that does a service to the legislative process.
So preservation of the Highlands will benefit all Americans. Indeed,
the Highlands is not just a New Jersey resource. As in any other parts
in this country, it is a national treasure.
Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Again, I want to point out that this bill eliminated the Office of
Highlands Stewardship and the accompanied regulatory process. It
reduced the authorization level from $25 million annually to $10
million annually over 10 years. It focused conservation efforts only on
those resources most important. This bill clarified that the bill would
not establish a wholly new programmatic category of land use, and,
finally, it assured landowners in the Highlands region that private
property rights will be protected by including safeguards for those
landowners potentially at risk.
So, Mr. Speaker, this is a good piece of legislation. It has been
developed over a long period of time.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
As stated, we did have some concerns about the expense of the bill
and the funding for it, given the limitations of the land and water
conservation fund, but we are supportive of the bill.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Highlands
Conservation Act.
To anyone in this Congress who questions the value of efforts to
preserve open space, I invite them to come to New Jersey. My
constituents, like most people around the state, have seen the ills of
sprawl and the consequences of poor planning and meager preservation
efforts.
Despite the fact that many see rampant commercial and industrial
development in New Jersey, however, there are still some wonderful
tracts of land left in some areas of our state. One in particular is
part of this tract we are trying to save through today's legislation,
the Highlands Region. These are important not just for aesthetically
pleasing vistas, but especially for the health of our environment, our
water, our air, and mostly our people.
The Highlands is an incredible 2 million acre swath across four
states--New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. This tract
is home to nearly one and a half million people and is still a quick
drive away from New York City and other major metropolitan areas.
Even more importantly, the Highlands provides and protects the
drinking water supplies for over 15 million people who live in the
Philadelphia-New York-Hartford metropolitan area, which cuts right
through my central New Jersey district.
That is why it is so important that the House today pass the
Highlands Conservation Act. This bill authorizes federal Land and Water
Conservation Fund money that will be matched at least one to one by
local, state, and private funding. The governors of the four Highlands
states will identify which lands are best eligible for conservation
efforts, then apply to the federal government for funding. I know that
the governor of New Jersey is ready and eager to get to work
identifying these areas and preserving more green space in the state.
I also want to highlight provisions in the bill that provide
technical assistance to communities and organizations involved in
conservation efforts for the Highlands. So many people in the region
have already done so much wonderful work to help preserve the area, and
they will now get the added benefit of assistance and expertise from
the federal government.
I want to recognize Mr. Frelinghuysen for his leadership on this
issue and his hard work to get the legislation on the floor. I also
want to salute the work of former Representative Ben Gilman, who led
the effort on this legislation during the last Congress.
I also want to thank Chairman Pombo, Ranking Member Rahall,
Subcommittee Chairman Radanovich, and Ranking Member Christensen for
helping see this legislation through the Resources committee. This bill
means a lot to New Jersey, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1964, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to assist
the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in
conserving priority lands and natural resources in the Highlands
region, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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