I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3107

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

SEPTEMBER 21, 1993

Mrs. ROUKEMA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Natural 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. MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ACQUISI4 TION OF STERLING FOREST, NEW YORK.

5 (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall

6 make a matching contribution to the Palisades Interstate

7 Park Commission for the acquisition of Sterling Forest

8 by the Commission, and interests in Sterling Forest by

9 the Secretary, in accordance with this section. The amount
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1 of the matching contribution shall be one dollar of Federal

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

3 the Commission from a non-Federal source and dedicated

4 to the acquisition of Sterling Forest. The total Federal

5 contribution under this section may not exceed

6 $25,000,000.

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

8 Federal funds may not be used pursuant to this section

9 to purchase any portion of Sterling Forest without the

10 consent of the owner thereof.

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

12 acquisition of Sterling Forest pursuant to this section

13 shall reserve to the United States conservation easements

14 and rights of public access in and to Sterling Forest, as

15 determined by the Secretary, equivalent to conservation

16 easements held by the United States as described in sec17 tion 7(k)(2) of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act

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

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

20 be construed to authorize the United States Government,

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

22 any obligation otherwise imposed under New York State

23 law, to pay property taxes or provide for the costs of stew24 ardship and management of any lands located in the State
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1 of New York which may be acquired pursuant to this sec2 tion.

3 SEC. 2. NEW JERSEY PORTION OF STERLING FOREST.

4 (a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall

5 make a matching contribution to Passaic County, New

6 Jersey, toward the outstanding amount owed for the lands

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

8 judgement in the case of County of Passaic against MPS

9 Corporation, Sterling Forest Corporation and Sterling

10 Forest Development Corporation (Docket No. W-55820-

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

12 matching contribution shall be one dollar of Federal mon13 eys for each dollar of non-Federal funds paid by Passaic

14 County, New Jersey, toward such outstanding amount.

15 (b) LANDS DESCRIBED.—The lands referred to in

16 subsection (a) are approximately 2,070 acres of lands con17 demned by Passaic County, New Jersey, on October 31,

18 1988, and the subject of the case referred to in subsection

19 (a).

20 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

21 For the purposes of this Act—

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

23 located in the New York portion of the New York24 New Jersey Highlands Region that comprises ap25 proximately 17,530 acres and is owned on the date
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1 of enactment of this Act by the Sterling Forest Cor2 poration;

3 (2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Pali4 sades Interstate Park Commission established by

5 interstate compact (Chapter 170 of the Laws of

6 1937 of the State of New York; Chapter 148 of the

7 Laws of 1937 of the State of New Jersey) and ap8 proved in 1937 by joint resolution of the Congress

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

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

11 of the Interior.

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