[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 21

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman WEINBERG

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION memorializing Congress to provide funding to acquire Sterling Forest in southern New York for preservation and management as a park by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

Whereas, Sterling Forest, a mostly privately owned tract of open space approximately 20,000 acres in size located in southern New York and northern New Jersey, is one of the last major undeveloped areas in the New York City metropolitan area; and

Whereas, Two important northern New Jersey drinking water sources, the Monksville Reservoir and the Wanaque Reservoir, are fed by streams with headwaters in Sterling Forest, and these reservoirs supply drinking water to almost two million people; and

Whereas, Sterling Forest is imminently threatened with large-scale development that is likely to have severe environmental consequences and threaten water supplies such as the Monksville and Wanaque reservoirs; and

Whereas, Open space in the New York City metropolitan area, including southern New York and northern New Jersey, is rapidly diminishing due to the pressures of urban sprawl and development; and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey has already taken action to acquire the approximately 2,000 acres of Sterling Forest lying within New Jersey, but the major portion of the forest, consisting of about 17,500 acres, lies within New York; and

¹Whereas, In 1995, the State of New Jersey took further action by appropriating $10 million to be applied toward the purchase of that portion of Sterling Forest lying within the State of New York, provided that the federal government appropriates at least $17.5 million and the State of New York appropriates at least $10 million toward the cost of the purchase; and¹

Whereas, Recent studies conducted by the States of New Jersey and New York and by the United States Forest Service all recognize the importance of protecting Sterling Forest; and

Whereas, Legislation has been introduced in Congress by members of the New Jersey and New York congressional delegations that would authorize ¹[up to $35 million to be used to commence the process] the expenditure of federal funds for the purpose¹ of acquiring Sterling Forest for preservation and management as a park ¹[by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission]¹; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Congress of the United States is memorialized to provide funding to acquire Sterling Forest in southern New York for preservation and management as a park by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, every member of Congress elected from this State and from the State of New York, the Governor of this State and the Governor of the State of New York, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, the Citizens Advisory Council on the Palisades Interstate Park, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of the New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

Memorializes Congress to fund acquisition of Sterling Forest in southern NY for preservation and management as a park by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.