Highlands Conservation Act
Public Law 108-421 · H.R. 1964 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 30, 2004 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ-11)
Cosponsors (31): Rep. Sue Kelly, Rep. Rob Andrews,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
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 "The Highlands Region" 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 "land conservation partnership project" 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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Federal Lands Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 999Related bill
Highlands Stewardship Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 32 actions.
- Nov 30, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-421.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 20, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 17, 2004Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Gibbons moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1964.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Nov 16, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Oct 10, 2004FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 28, 2004CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 735.
- CommitteeCommittee · 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.
- Sep 15, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Dec 9, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Nov 22, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
- Nov 21, 2003FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1964.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Calvert moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Nov 17, 2003CommitteeCommittee · House Committee on Agriculture Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than Nov. 21, 2003.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 108-373, Part I.
- Oct 29, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Discharged.
- Jun 17, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 3, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands.
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.