Sterling Forest Protection Act of 1994

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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sterling Forest Protection Act of 
1994''.

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 million 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; and
            (9) given the nationally significant watershed, outdoor 
        recreational, and wildlife qualities of Sterling Forest; the 
        demand for open space in the northeastern United States; 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, flora and fauna, and open space; which is a cost 
        effective investment compared to the costs which would be 
        required to protect drinking water for the region should the 
        Sterling Forest be developed.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    Subject to the requirements of this Act, 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.

    As used in this Act, the term--
            (1) ``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'' means the Sterling Forest Reserve; and
            (3) ``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 hereby 
established the Sterling Forest Reserve in the State of New York.
    (b) Map.--(1) 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) The map referred to 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, Department of the 
Interior.
    (c) Transfer of Funds.--Subject to the conditions set forth in 
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) Prior to the receipt of any Federal 
funds authorized by this Act, the Commission shall agree to the 
following terms and conditions:
            (A) If the Commission fails to manage the lands acquired 
        within the Reserve in a manner consistent with this Act, the 
        Commission shall convey fee title to such lands to the United 
        States. Such agreement to convey to the United States shall be 
        recorded at the time of purchase.
            (B) No lands or interests therein may be acquired with any 
        Federal funds authorized or transferred pursuant to this Act 
        except with the consent of the owner thereof.
            (C) 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 referred to in section 
        5(b) before proceeding with the acquisition of any other lands 
        within the Reserve.
            (D) Within 30 days after acquiring the lands identified as 
        ``National Park Service Wilderness Easement Lands'' and 
        ``National Park Service Conservation Easement Lands'' on the 
        map referred to in section 5(b), the Commission shall convey to 
        the United States the following:
                    (i) Conservation easement(s) on those lands 
                described as ``National Park Service Wilderness 
                Easement Lands'' on the map referred to in section 
                5(b). Such easement(s) shall provide that the lands 
                shall be managed to protect their wilderness character.
                    (ii) Conservation easement(s) on those lands 
                described as ``National Park Service Conservation 
                Easement Lands'' on the map referred to in section 
                5(b). Such easement(s) shall restrict and limit 
                development and use of the property to that compatible 
                with the protection of the Appalachian National Scenic 
                Trail. Any such development and use shall be consistent 
                with the general management plan prepared pursuant to 
                section 6(b).
    (2) 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 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 shall submit such plan to the 
Secretary for approval.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), there is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this Act, to remain available until expended.
    (b) Land Acquisition.--Not more than $17,500,000 may be 
appropriated to the Secretary for transfer to the Commission for the 
acquisition of lands and interests therein within the Reserve.

Summary: Sterling Forest Protection Act of 1994 - Establishes the Sterling Forest Reserve, New York, upon certification by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to the Secretary of the Interior that the Commission has acquired sufficient lands or interests therein to constitute a manageable unit. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) Reserve boundaries. (2) the transfer of funds to the Commission for land acquisition. And (3) conditions of funding . Directs the Commission to: (1) manage the lands acquired within the Reserve in a manner consistent with the Commission's authorities and the protection of significant watershed, wildlife and recreational resources within the New York-New Jersey highlands region. And (2) prepare a general management plan for the Reserve, to be submitted to the Secretary for approval. Authorizes appropriations. Limits the amount that may be appropriated to the Secretary for transfer to the Commission for the acquisition of lands and interests therein within the Reserve.