Highlands Conservation Act

Bill: 108-hr-1964
Sponsor: Rep. Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. [R-NJ-11]
Introduced: 2003-05-06 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural conservation
Agriculture and Food
Arts, Culture, Religion
Commemorations
Connecticut
Cultural property
Department of Agriculture
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Forest conservation
Forestry research
Government Operations and Politics
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Greenways
Historic sites
History
Land transfers
Land use
Natural areas
Nature conservation
New Jersey
New York State
Open space lands
Pennsylvania
Private forests
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: 
Highlands Stewardship Act - Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to establish the Highlands Stewardship Area in the Highlands region (an area encompassing more than 2,000,000 acres extending from eastern Pennsylvania through New Jersey and New York to northwestern Connecticut (the Highlands States)).
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish: (1) within the Department of Agriculture the Office of Highlands Stewardship to advise the Secretaries and the Governors of the Highlands States on priorities for projects carried out with financial or technical assistance under this Act, land conservation partnership projects, Highlands region research, policy and educational initiatives necessary to implement the findings of the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study (conducted by the Forest Service in 1990) and the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update (conducted by the Service), and to implement the strategies of the study, the update, and other studies in consultation with the Highlands States; and (2) the Highlands Stewardship Area Work Group to assist with the implementation of the study and update strategies. Authorizes the Office to provide financial and technical assistance to an eligible entity to carry out a project, consistent with the stewardship goals and conservation strategies articulated in the study and update, to protect, restore, preserve, promote, or interpret natural, agricultural, historical, cultural, or recreational resources of the Area.
 
Directs: (1) the Governors of the Highlands States, with input from pertinent units of local government, the public, the Office, and the Work Group, to jointly identify land conservation projects that shall be proposed for Federal financial assistance and submit them to the Secretary of the Interior; and (2) such Secretary to annually designate those projects that are eligible to receive financial assistance under this Act.

action_date: 2003-11-21
text: 
Highlands Conservation Act - (Sec. 5) Authorizes: (1) the Governors of the Highlands States, with input from pertinent units of local government and the public, to jointly identify land conservation partnership projects in the Highlands region (an area encompassing more than 2 million acres extending from eastern Pennsylvania through New Jersey and New York to northwestern Connecticut (the Highlands States)) that shall be proposed for Federal financial assistance and submit a list of such projects to the Secretary of the Interior; and (2) such Secretary to annually submit to Congress a list of those that are eligible to receive financial assistance under this Act. Requires a non-Federal entity, in order to be eligible for such assistance for a project, to enter into a specified agreement with the Secretary of the Interior. Limits the Federal share of the cost of carrying out a project to 50 percent of such project's total cost. Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, in order to meet the land resource goals of, and the scientific and conservation challenges identified in, the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study (conducted by the Forest Service in 1990), the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update, and any future study that the Forest Service may undertake in the Highlands region, to continue to assist the Highlands States, local units of government, and private forest and farm landowners in the conservation of lands and natural resources. Requires the Forest Service to: (1) undertake other studies and research as appropriate in the Highlands region consistent with the purposes of this Act; (2) communicate the findings of the study and update and maintain a public dialogue regarding implementation of such study and update; and (3) assist the Highlands States, local units of government, individual landowners, and private organizations in identifying and using Forest Service and other technical and financial assistance programs of the Department of Agriculture. Authorizes appropriations.
 
(Sec. 7) Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) require any private property owner to permit public access (including Federal, State, or local government access) to such property; (2) modify any provisions of Federal, State, or local law with regard to public access to or use of private lands; (3) modify any authority of Federal, State, or local governments to regulate land use; and (4) require the owner of any private property located in the Highlands region to participate in the land conservation, financial, or technical assistance or any other programs established under this Act. States that funds appropriated to carry out this Act shall be used to purchase lands or interests only from willing sellers.

action_date: 2004-11-30
text: 
Highlands Conservation Act - (Sec. 2) Sets forth the purposes of this Act, including authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania (Highland States) to preserve and protect high priority conservation land in the Highlands region, an area depicted on a National Forest Service map entitled &quot;The Highlands Region&quot; dated June 2004.
 
(Sec. 4) Authorizes the governors of the Highland States to annually submit proposed land conservation partnership projects to the Secretary for Federal financial assistance. Defines &quot;land conservation partnership project&quot; as a project located in the Highlands region that is identified by the Forest Service in specified studies as having a high conservation value, and in which a non-Federal entity (i.e., any Highlands State or any agency of a Highlands State with authority to own and manage land for conservation purposes) acquires land from a willing seller to permanently protect, conserve, or preserve the land through a partnership with the Federal Government. Directs the Secretary to annually submit to Congress a list of projects that are eligible for financial assistance. Sets forth eligibility conditions for financial assistance to non-Federal entities.
 
Limits the Federal share of the cost of any land conservation partnership project to 50 percent. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 through FY 2014.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to continue to assist the Highland States and other public and private entities in the conservation of land and natural resources in the Highlands region. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2005 through FY 2014. 
 
(Sec. 6) Prohibits anything in this Act from: (1) requiring a private property owner to permit public access, including access by any government, to private property; (2) modifying any law on public access to, or use of, private land; (3) creating any liability of a private property owner for persons injured on the private property; (4) modifying any governmental authority to regulate land use; and (5) requiring private property owners in the Highlands region to participate in the land conservation, financial, or technical assistance programs established by this Act. Provides that funds appropriated under this Act shall be used to purchase land or interests in land only from willing sellers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-30
text: Became Public Law No: 108-421.
action_date: 2004-11-30
text: Became Public Law No: 108-421.
action_date: 2004-11-30
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-11-30
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1964.
action_date: 2004-11-17
text: Mr. Gibbons moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H9826-9828; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H9826-9827)
action_date: 2004-11-16
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-10-10
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S11127-11183; text as passed Senate: CR S11178-11180)
action_date: 2004-10-10
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S11127-11183; text as passed Senate: CR S11178-11180)
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 735.
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-376.
action_date: 2004-09-28
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Domenici with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 108-376.
action_date: 2004-09-15
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2003-12-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2003-11-22
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H12118-112119)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H12118-112119)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1964.
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H12118-12121)
action_date: 2003-11-21
text: Mr. Calvert moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: House Committee on Agriculture Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 21, 2003.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-373, Part I.
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-373, Part I.
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2003-10-29
text: Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2003-06-17
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2003-06-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research.
action_date: 2003-06-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-05-06
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 108-421