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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.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

4 The Congress finds that—

5 (1) there is a compelling Federal interest in

6 protecting the Sterling Forest areas of the States of

7 New York and New Jersey because of their histori8 cal and natural significance, including the Appalach9 ian Trail which runs through these areas; and
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1 (2) the preservation of these areas is important

2 to preserving and maintaining the local ecosystem

3 and to protecting the purity of the water supply of

4 these areas.

5 SEC 2. MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ACQUISITION

6 OF STERLING FOREST, NEW YORK.

7 (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall

8 make a matching contribution to the Palisades Interstate

9 Park Commission for the acquisition of Sterling Forest

10 by the Commission, and interests in Sterling Forest by

11 the Secretary, in accordance with this section. The amount

12 of the matching contribution shall be one dollar of Federal

13 moneys for each dollar of non-Federal funds received by

14 the Commission from a non-Federal source and dedicated

15 to the acquisition of Sterling Forest. The total Federal

16 contribution under this section may not exceed

17 $25,000,000.

18 (b) ACQUISITION ON A WILLING SELLER BASIS.—

19 Federal funds may not be used pursuant to this section

20 to purchase any portion of Sterling Forest without the

21 consent of the owner thereof.

22 (c) INTERESTS ACQUIRED BY UNITED STATES.—The

23 acquisition of Sterling Forest pursuant to this section

24 shall reserve to the United States conservation easements

25 and rights of public access in and to Sterling Forest, as
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1 determined by the Secretary, equivalent to conservation

2 easements held by the United States as described in sec3 tion 7(k)(2) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act

4 of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103c(k)(2)).

5 (d) PROPERTY TAXES.—Nothing in this section shall

6 be construed to authorize the United States Government,

7 or relieve the Commission and the State of New York of

8 any obligation otherwise imposed under New York State

9 law, to pay property taxes or provide for the costs of stew10 ardship and management of any lands located in the State

11 of New York which may be acquired pursuant to this sec12 tion.

13 SEC. 3. NEW JERSEY PORTION OF STERLING FOREST.

14 (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall

15 make a matching contribution to Passaic County, New

16 Jersey, toward the outstanding amount owed for the lands

17 described in subsection (b), as specified in the consent

18 judgment in the case of County of Passaic against MPS

19 Corporation, Sterling Forest Corporation and Sterling

20 Forest Development Corporation (Docket No. W–55820–

21 88) entered on September 1, 1993. The amount of the

22 matching contribution shall be one dollar of Federal mon23 eys for each dollar of non-Federal funds paid by Passaic

24 County, New Jersey, toward such outstanding amount.
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1 (b) LANDS DESCRIBED.—The lands referred to in

2 subsection (a) are approximately 2,070 acres of lands con3 demned by Passaic County, New Jersey, on October 31,

4 1988, and the subject of the case referred to in subsection

5 (a).

6 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

7 For the purposes of this Act—

8 (1) the term ‘‘Sterling Forest’’ means the area

9 located in the New York portion of the New York10 New Jersey Highlands Region that comprises ap11 proximately 17,530 acres and is owned on the date

12 of enactment of this Act by the Sterling Forest Cor13 poration;

14 (2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Pali15 sades Interstate Park Commission established by

16 interstate compact (Chapter 170 of the Laws of

17 1937 of the State of New York; Chapter 148 of the

18 Laws of 1937 of the State of New Jersey) and ap19 proved in 1937 by joint resolution of the Congress

20 (Chapter 706; 50 Stat. 719); and

21 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

22 of the Interior.

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