Highlands funding clears hurdle in House

Congress has allocated $4 million in its pending Interior Department appropriations bill for Highlands preservation, the most money allocated since the Highlands Conservation Act was signed into law in 2004.

While it is still far short of the $10 million a year anticipated when the bill was passed, environmental leaders said they believe this could mark a beginning of "meaningful'' spending on Highlands preservation.

"This is a real big step in the right direction,'' said Jeff Tittel, director of the state chapter of the Sierra Club.

"And it comes at a critical time when we are almost out of money for preservation in New Jersey.''

In addition to the Highlands dollars, the federal budget also includes another $1.4 million for expansion of the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in Sussex County and New York State and $1 million to acquire additional land for the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Morris and Somerset counties.

"This funding ... moves us toward achieving our goal of cleaner drinking water and more open space through the purchase of land from willing sellers," said Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, author of the federal Highlands Conservation Act.

There was great celebration in environmental circles when the Highlands Act was signed into law in 2004 by then-President George W. Bush.

It was supposed to set aside at least $110 million over the next decade to conserve prime open spaces in North Jersey and three other states.

Instead, in the first five years, only a total of $5.1 million in federal funds were allocated, and $1 million of that was withdrawn, despite what had become an annual appeal by the congressional delegation from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Based on what Tittel said is an average assessment of $8,000 per acre on undeveloped land in the Highlands region, he said the $4 million in federal dollars could be used to preserve 500 acres. And that could be increased through matches from other government and private sources, he said.

The House of Representatives passed the appropriations bill this week by a vote of 247-178.

The Senate is expected to pass it next week and send it to President Obama for his signature.