by properties, and have numerous environmental
benefits.
(2) Land that is preserved as open space or
farmland requires fewer roads and schools and gen-
erates less need for mass transit and other govern-
ment expenses than developed land.
(3) Certain government policies, such as the
estate tax, directly contribute to the conversion of
remaining open space and farmland in the United
States.
(4) The densely populated mid-Atlantic States
have experienced considerable loss of open space and
farmland.
(5) Current local efforts to preserve open space
and farmland have been partially successful, but are
being outpaced by suburban sprawl.
(6) Open space and farmland preservation ef-
forts have been instrumental in preserving the qual-
ity of life in the mid-Atlantic States.
SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND PRES-
ERVATION IN MID-ATLANTIC STATES.
(a) DEFINITION
OF MID-ATLANTIC STATE.—The
term ‘‘Mid-Atlantic State’’ means the State of Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.
(b) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of the In-
terior may make grants under this section to a mid-Atlan-
tic State (and units of local government in a mid-Atlantic
State) to assist the grant recipient to purchase land, devel-
opment rights, conservation and agricultural easements,
and similar property interests for the purpose of preserv-
ing open space and farmland in an area that the Secretary
determines—
(1) has a high population density;
(2) is under development pressure;
(3) faces the potential loss of an agricultural
use of land in the area; or
(4) is otherwise likely to be developed.
(c) GRANT BASIS.—Subject to the preference for
small communities specified in subsection (e), the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall select grant recipients on the
basis of development risk to the open space or farmland
proposed for acquisition using the grant, which the Sec-
retary shall determine on the basis of the factors contained
in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (b).
(d) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The total amount of grant
funds that may be provided under this section to a single
mid-Atlantic State or a single unit of local government
may not exceed $15,000,000 per fiscal year.
(e) PREFERENCE FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES.—Not
less than 75 percent of the grant funds awarded under
this section shall be provided, either directly or through
a mid-Atlantic State, to units of local government with
fewer than 10,000 persons.
(f) RETENTION OF LOCAL CONTROL.—No title to
land shall vest with the United States as a result of any
expenditures made using grant funds provided under this
section.
(g) APPLICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To request a grant under
this section, the chief executive of a mid-Atlantic
State or unit of local government shall submit an
application to the Secretary of the Interior in such
form and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require.
(2) EMERGENCY APPLICATIONS.—A mid-Atlan-
tic State or unit of local government may designate
one application per year as an emergency application
to purchase land or an interest in land to prevent
the sale of certain open space or farmland for devel-
opment. The Secretary of the Interior shall consider,
and approve or disapprove, an emergency application
within 30 days of receipt.
(h) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—
Not more than 3.5 percent of the funds made available
to a grant recipient under this section may be used for
administrative expenses.
(i) AUTHORIZATION FOR APPROPRIATIONS.—There
is authorized to be appropriated, from funds available in
the land and water conservation fund established under
section 2 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act
of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l–5), not less than $50,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003 to make
grants under this section.
Æ