[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 26, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4477-H4479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HIGHLANDS CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2022

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2793) to reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act, to 
authorize States to use funds from that Act for administrative 
purposes, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2793

       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 
     Reauthorization Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HIGHLANDS CONSERVATION ACT.

       The Highlands Conservation Act (Public Law 108-421; 118 
     Stat. 2375) is amended--
       (1) in section 3--
       (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) Highlands region.--The term `Highlands region' 
     means--
       ``(A) the area depicted on the map entitled `The Highlands 
     Region', dated June 2004, updated after the date of enactment 
     of the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2022 to 
     comprise each municipality included on the list of 
     municipalities included in the Highlands region as of that 
     date of enactment, and maintained in the headquarters of the 
     Forest Service in Washington, District of Columbia; and
       ``(B) a municipality approved by the Director of the United 
     States Fish and Wildlife Service under section 4(e).'';
       (B) in paragraph (3), by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
     as follows:
       ``(B) identified by a Highlands State as having high 
     conservation value using the best available science and 
     geographic information systems; and'';

[[Page H4478]]

       (C) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``; or'' and inserting 
     ``, including a political subdivision thereof; or''; and
       (D) by striking paragraphs (5) through (7);
       (2) in section 4--
       (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``in the Study'' and 
     all that follows through the end of the paragraph and 
     inserting ``using the best available science and geographic 
     information systems; and'';
       (B) in subsection (c), by amending paragraph (5) to read as 
     follows:
       ``(5) provides that land conservation partnership projects 
     will be consistent with areas identified as having high 
     conservation value in accordance with the purposes described 
     in section 2 in the Highlands region.'';
       (C) in subsection (e), by striking ``fiscal years 2005 
     through 2021'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2023 through 
     2029'';
       (D) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (g); and
       (E) by inserting after subsection (d) the following:
       ``(e) Request for Inclusion of Additional Municipality.--
     The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     may, at the request of a Highlands State, with the 
     concurrence of the municipality, approve the inclusion of a 
     municipality within the State as part of the Highlands 
     region.
       ``(f) Limitation on Administrative Expenses.--
       ``(1) Federal administration.--The Secretary of the 
     Interior may not expend more than $300,000 for the 
     administration of this Act in each fiscal year.
       ``(2) State administration.--A State that receives funds 
     under this section for a land conservation partnership 
     project may not use more than 5 percent of the funds to 
     administer the land conservation partnership project.'';
       (3) in section 5--
       (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``the Study, Update, and 
     any future study that the Forest Service may undertake in'';
       (B) in subsection (b)--
       (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, including a 
     Pennsylvania and Connecticut Update''; and
       (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the findings'' and all 
     that follows through the end of the paragraph and inserting 
     ``with stakeholders regarding implementation of the program; 
     and''; and
       (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``2005 through 2014'' 
     and inserting ``2023 through 2029''; and
       (4) in section 6, by adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Appraisal Methodology.--
       ``(1) In general.--With respect to an appraisal related to 
     a land acquisition carried out under this Act, a Highlands 
     State shall use an appraisal methodology approved by the 
     Secretary of the Interior.
       ``(2) Alternative appraisal methodology.--A Highlands State 
     may petition the Secretary of the Interior to consider an 
     alternative appraisal methodology when there is a conflict, 
     in any Highlands State, between--
       ``(A) an appraisal methodology approved by the Secretary of 
     the Interior under paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) applicable State law.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Bentz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2793, the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization 
Act, is led by my colleague, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney. The 
bill reauthorizes funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 
the U.S. Forest Service to protect and conserve the Highlands region.
  The beautiful Highlands region spans 3.4 million acres across 
Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
  This area has retained its splendor due in part to the passage of the 
Highlands Conservation Act of 2004, which authorized the Fish and 
Wildlife Service and the Forest Service to work with State and local 
governments and NGOs to conserve this ecosystem.
  Since 2004, $28 million in Federal funds, matched by $53 million in 
non-Federal funds, have permanently protected almost 13,000 acres of 
land. These lands protect clean, safe drinking water; sustain healthy 
forests and wildlife populations; encourage productive agriculture; and 
provide quality recreation opportunities for the public.
  I commend my colleague for his leadership on this bipartisan bill to 
reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act and ensure the continued 
success of this program.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2793, a bipartisan bill 
sponsored by Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, to 
reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act.
  The stated purpose of the Highlands Conservation Act, which was 
signed into law in 2004, is ``to recognize the importance of the water, 
forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources of 
the Highlands region,'' which, as was indicated, spans some 3.4 million 
acres across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, ``and 
the national significance of the Highlands region to the United 
States.''
  Under the current authorization, the Governors of these States 
identify conservation partnership projects in the region and submit a 
list annually to the Secretary of the Interior, who is tasked with 
working with the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a final list to 
Congress for approval and funding.
  H.R. 2793 would reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act and allow 
municipalities to enter into conservation agreements with the 
Department of the Interior. This bill is the product of bipartisan 
negotiations with the Committee on Natural Resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney) and thank him for 
being the driving force in bringing this legislation to this point.
  Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good 
friend for all of his work.
  I rise, Mr. Speaker, to support my bill, the Highlands Conservation 
Reauthorization Act, which would extend the Highlands Conservation 
Program for an additional 7 years, through 2029.
  If you have hiked through any of the public lands in the Hudson 
Valley, chances are you have enjoyed the experience and benefited from 
the land conserved and protected by the Highlands Conservation Program. 
Even if you have looked upon the extraordinary works of art in the 
Hudson River School of painting, the most famous American school of 
painting, you will see these lands in the Hudson Highlands and wonder, 
as we who are lucky enough to live there do, at their beauty.
  For nearly two decades, the Highlands Conservation Act has been a 
critical resource for the protection of these lands throughout a 5,500-
square-mile area of the Highlands region covering New York, New Jersey, 
Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
  It includes many of our great State parks in my district, including 
Harriman State Park, Bear Mountain State Park, Schunemunk Mountain 
State Park, Storm King State Park, Hudson Highlands State Park, and 
Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, to name a few.
  The bill funds vital projects to safeguard our water supplies, 
conserve our forests, protect wildlife, expand outdoor public 
recreation opportunities, and save agricultural resources.
  Over the past 18 years, the Highlands Conservation Act has delivered 
on its promise. It facilitated the permanent protection of nearly 
13,000 acres of land, land that contributes to clean drinking water, 
protection of wildlife, expansion of recreation opportunities, and, of 
course, the sustainable economic growth that we all want.
  Since 2007, New York has received over $14 million through the 
Highlands Conservation Act, funding that supported 18 specific projects 
conserving 4,000 acres throughout my district in the Hudson Valley.
  For example, in 2015, the act helped incorporate over 230 acres of 
land into the Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park in Putnam County, 
right down the street from where I live. I spend a lot of time there. 
It is absolutely beautiful.
  In 2016, funds from the Highlands Conservation Act helped conserve 
nearly 700 acres of land linking the western

[[Page H4479]]

Hudson Highlands to Schunemunk Mountain State Park in Orange County, 
and so much more.
  It is also responsible for the addition of 1,200 acres that make up 
the Fishkill Ridge portion of the Hudson Highlands State Park.

  More than 25 million Americans live within just an hour's drive of 
the Highlands region. By passing this bill today, we can ensure that 
the Highlands are protected and remain a beautiful natural resource for 
them and for our entire country for generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, the Highlands Conservation Program has been an extremely 
effective program not just for my district but for the entire region 
and our country. The entire conservation community should congratulate 
itself today.
  I want to mention a few local people: Mark Zakutansky with the 
Appalachian Mountain Club; Ned Sullivan and Andy Bicking with Scenic 
Hudson; Katrina Shindledecker and Michelle Smith with the Hudson 
Highlands Land Trust; and Tim Abbott with the Housatonic Valley 
Association. I thank them all for their extraordinary work.
  Mr. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2793, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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