89–006 

1Public Law 100–515. 100th Congress. ‘‘An Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Coastal Heritage Trail Route in the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes.’’ October 20, 1988. 2 Id. 

3 ‘‘Trail Themes’’. New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. National Park Service website. 

https://www.nps.gov/neje/planyourvisit/trailthemes.htm. 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–1061 

TO REAUTHORIZE THE NEW JERSEY COASTAL HERITAGE 

TRAIL ROUTE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 

DECEMBER 3, 2018.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 

of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. BISHOP of Utah, from the Committee on Natural Resources, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 6602] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred the 

bill (H.R. 6602) to reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage 

Trail Route, and for other purposes, having considered the same, 

report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that 

the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of H.R. 6602 is to reauthorize the New Jersey 

Coastal Heritage Trail Route. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route was authorized by 

Congress in 1988 and runs along the entire coast of New Jersey.1

The Route was established for public appreciation, education, understanding, and enjoyment of significant natural and cultural 

sites associated with the coastal area of New Jersey.2 Five themes 

define different aspects of coastal life along the Route: Maritime 

History, Coastal Habitats, Wildlife Migration, Historic Settlements, 

and Relaxation and Inspiration.3


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2 

4 ‘‘New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route—Description’’. NYNJ Trail Conference website. 

https://www.nynjtc.org/park/new-jersey-coastal-heritage-trail#dialog-park-description. 5 1993. ‘‘Implementation Guide, New Jersey Coastal Heritage Route’’. Included as ‘‘Appendix 

B’’ in ‘‘2011 Strategic Plan: New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route—Part 2 of 2, Appendices’’. 

National Park Service. file:///C:/Users/hbaker1/Downloads/NJCHTR%202011%20Strategic%20 

Plan%202%20of%202%20Appendices.pdf. 6 16 USC 1244 note. 

7Public Law 103–243. 

8Public Law 106–18, Public Law 109–338, Public Law 110–229. 

The National Park Service (NPS), the State of New Jersey, the 

Pinelands Commission, and other local organizations partnered to 

promote recreation and appreciation of New Jersey’s coastal areas.4

The partners developed a strategic plan which called for an initial 

implementation period with the NPS and New Jersey cooperatively 

managing the Route for five years, followed by a diminished role 

by NPS and an expanded role by New Jersey.5 The Secretary of the 

Interior was given authority to enter into cooperative agreements 

and provide technical assistance in the establishment and development of the Route. The Route was eligible to receive federal funds 

for certain projects provided those funds did not exceed 50% of total 

project costs and were matched with non-federal dollars.6

A sunset provision for the Secretary’s authority, and thus the 

NPS’s participation in managing the Trail, was enacted in 1994.7

Subsequent laws extended this timeframe and authorized increased 

appropriations in 1999, 2006, and 2008.8 The Secretary’s authorities related to the Route expired on September 30, 2011. 

H.R. 6602 will reauthorize the Secretary of the Interior’s authority and the NPS’s ability to co-manage the New Jersey Coastal 

Heritage Trail Route through 2025. The bill removes the unlimited 

authorization of appropriations for the Route that was enacted in 

2006. It also requires the Secretary of the Interior to complete a 

strategic plan for the Trail. 

Senator Robert Menendez (D–NJ) has introduced a companion 

bill (S. 3291) in the Senate. 

COMMITTEE ACTION

H.R. 6602 was introduced on July 26, 2018, by Congressman 

Frank A. LoBiondo (R–NJ). The bill was referred to the Committee 

on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On November 15, 2018, the Natural 

Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The Subcommittee 

was discharged by unanimous consent. No amendments were offered, and the bill was ordered favorably reported to the House of 

Representatives by unanimous consent. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII 

of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on 

Natural Resources’ oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the body of this report. 

COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL

BUDGET ACT

1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of rule XIII of 


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the Rules of the House of Representatives and sections 308(a) and 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has 

received the following estimate for the bill from the Director of the 

Congressional Budget Office: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, November 19, 2018. 

Hon. ROB BISHOP, 

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 6602, a bill to reauthorize 

the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, and for other purposes. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Janani Shankaran. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 6602—A bill to reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage 

Trail Route, and for other purposes 

H.R. 6602 would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to 

co-manage the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route and provide technical assistance to state and local partners through 2025. 

The NPS’s previous authority to co-manage the route and provide 

assistance expired in 2011. Based on the previous costs for those 

activities, CBO estimates that the agency would spend about 

$400,000 annually under the bill for two full-time employees, one 

part-time employee, and materials and signage. H.R. 6602 also 

would direct the NPS to develop a strategic plan for the route. 

Based on the costs of similar tasks, CBO estimates completing that 

plan would cost less than $500,000. In total, CBO estimates that 

implementing the bill would cost about $2 million over the 2019– 

2023 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of 

appropriated funds. 

Enacting H.R. 6602 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6602 would not increase net 

direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 

10-year periods beginning in 2029. 

H.R. 6602 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Janani Shankaran. 

The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 

clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or objective 

of this bill is to reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail 

Route. 


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EARMARK STATEMENT

This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined under clause 9(e), 

9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 

COMPLIANCE WITH PUBLIC LAW 104–4 

This bill contains no unfunded mandates. 

COMPLIANCE WITH H. RES. 5 

Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any directed 

rule makings. 

Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not establish or 

reauthorize a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was not included in 

any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 

pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139 or identified in the 

most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program Information Act (Public Law 95–220, 

as amended by Public Law 98–169) as relating to other programs. 

PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL OR TRIBAL LAW

This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or tribal law. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, 

as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, 

and existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in 

roman): 

PUBLIC LAW 100-515 

AN ACT To provide for the establishment of the Coastal Heritage Trail Route in 

the State of New Jersey, and for other purposes. 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

ø(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

ø(b)¿ (a) USE OF FUNDS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—Amounts made available øunder subsection 

(a)¿ to carry out this Act shall be used only for— 

(A) technical assistance; 

(B) the design and fabrication of interpretive materials, 

devices, and signs; and 

(C) the preparation of the strategic plan. 

(2) LIMITATIONS.—No funds made available øunder subsection (a)¿ to carry out this Act shall be used for— 

(A) operation, repair, or construction costs, except for the 

costs of constructing interpretative exhibits; or 


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(B) operation, maintenance, or repair costs for any road 

or related structure. 

(3) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.— (A) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of any project 

carried out with amounts made available øunder subsection (a)¿ to carry out this Act— (i) may not exceed 50 percent of the total project 

costs; and 

(ii) shall be provided on a matching basis. 

(B) FORM OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal 

share of carrying out a project with amounts made available øunder subsection (a)¿ to carry out this Act may be in 

the form of cash, materials, or in-kind services, the value 

of which shall be determined by the Secretary. 

(C) Notwithstanding paragraph (3)(A), funds made available øunder subsection (a)¿ to carry out this Act for the 

preparation of the strategic plan shall not require a nonFederal match. 

ø(c)¿ (b) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authorities provided 

to the Secretary under this Act shall terminate on September 30, 

ø2011¿ 2025. 

* * * * * * * 

NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS ACT OF 2006 

* * * * * * * 

TITLE VII—JOHN H. CHAFEE BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY NATIONAL 

HERITAGE CORRIDOR REAUTHORIZATION 

* * * * * * * 

SEC. 703. NEW JERSEY COASTAL HERITAGE TRAIL ROUTE. 

(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Public Law 100-515 (16 

U.S.C. 1244 note) is amended by striking section 6 and inserting 

the following: 

‘‘SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the 

Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act. 

‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Amounts made available under subsection 

(a) shall be used only for— 

‘‘(A) technical assistance; and 

‘‘(B) the design and fabrication of interpretative materials, devices, and signs. 

‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.—No funds made available under subsection (a) shall be used for— 

‘‘(A) operation, repair, or construction costs, except for 

the costs of constructing interpretative exhibits; or 


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‘‘(B) operation, maintenance, or repair costs for any road 

or related structure. 

‘‘(3) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT.— ‘‘(A) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of any project 

carried out with amounts made available under subsection 

(a)— 

‘‘(i) may not exceed 50 percent of the total project 

costs; and 

‘‘(ii) shall be provided on a matching basis. 

‘‘(B) FORM OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal 

share of carrying out a project with amounts made available under subsection (a) may be in the form of cash, materials, or in-kind services, the value of which shall be determined by the Secretary. 

‘‘(c) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authorities provided to 

the Secretary under this Act shall terminate on September 30, 

2007.’’. 

ø(b) STRATEGIC PLAN.— ø(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date on 

which funds are made available, the Secretary of the Interior 

shall prepare a strategic plan for the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. 

ø(2) CONTENTS.—The strategic plan shall describe— 

ø(A) opportunities to increase participation by national 

and local private and public interests in the planning, development, and administration of the New Jersey Coastal 

Heritage Trail Route; and 

ø(B) organizational options for sustaining the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route.¿ 

* * * * * * * 

Æ 


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