Maloney Celebrates Efforts to Protect the Highlands

COLD SPRING – On July 5, U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) joined with local leaders and environmental advocates to celebrate the recent House-passage of Rep. Maloney’s legislation, the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act. The legislation reauthorizes the Highlands Conservation Act through 2029, ensuring important work continues to preserve local lands, promote tourism, and protect wildlife and clean water sources across the region.

“Since my first days in Congress I’ve always fought to protect our local environment. We’ve banned oil barge anchorages on the Hudson, fought polluters to clean up the river, and, this spring, we got my legislation to reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Program through the House,” said Rep. Maloney. “Our communities in the Hudson Valley would not be the same without the Highlands. We rely on them for our economy, for clean water, and for incomparable outdoor recreation. Today, I was thrilled to join local leaders and advocates to celebrate this important step towards protecting the Highlands for generations to come.”

“The Highlands Conservation Act plays a critical role in funding acquisition of lands that sustain drinking-water quality and provide new opportunities for recreation, in turn enhancing public health and the economies of the four-state region through which these mountains pass. Thanks to the leadership of Congressman Maloney, this legislation has moved a step closer to reauthorization, ensuring it will continue benefiting millions of people,” said Ned Sullivan, President of Scenic Hudson. “We look forward to working with Senator Chris Murphy, sponsor of the Senate legislation, and New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to pass the measure in the US Senate.”

“The Appalachian Mountain Club is thrilled to celebrate passage of the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act in the House of Representatives, led by Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney. The passage of this Act is crucial in helping to protect the ecologically diverse landscape of the Highlands for wildlife, recreation, and clean drinking water. AMC appreciates Congressman Maloney’s leadership to ensure that federal funding continues to be available to protect our region’s natural resources for generations to come,” said Danielle Guttman, Conservation Outreach Manager with the Appalachian Mountain Club.

“The Palisades Interstate Park Commission strongly supports passage of the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act. For almost 20 years, the Highlands Conservation Act has supported the conservation of lands crucial to the protection of regional watersheds and to the expansion of state parks in the Hudson Valley. Past funding has been used to acquire additions to Harriman State Park, Sterling Forest State Park and Schunnemunk State Park,” said Joshua Laird, Executive Director of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. “The Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act will help us continue this important work by funding the conservation of even more land. The Commission is grateful for Congressman Maloney’s leadership and looks forward to working with a growing coalition of supporters to get the Act across the finish line.”