Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program – Competitive Funding

The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) is designed to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands Region through Federal grants to support land conservation projects in which a State entity acquires land or an interest in land from a willing seller to permanently protect resources of high conservation value. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) was directed by the HCA to identify lands that have high conservation value through the “New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update” and the “Highlands Regional Study: Connecticut and Pennsylvania 2010 Update.” Subject to availability of funds through Federal appropriation, each year, Governors of the four Highlands States may submit proposals for up to 50% of the total cost of land conservation projects in the Highlands Region. Proposed projects must be consistent with areas identified in the Study and Update as having high resource value. This program funds land conservation by State Conservation Agencies in the Highlands Region. Funding appropriated under the HCA has been divided into two separate categories – Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for Competitive Funding in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Base Funds. A property may not be proposed for funding from both the Base and Competitive funding opportunities. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) administers the HCA grant program. The HCA program supports the goals set forth in the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative, including the conservation of 30% of America’s lands and waters by the year 2030. Land conservation in the Highlands Region is increasing climate change resiliency of the landscape and is protecting drinking water resources used by millions of people. The HCA grant program is connecting people with nature and the outdoors by creating new recreation acres in a region where one in nine Americans live or are within a two-hour drive. The HCA grant program is protecting strategically important natural areas that sustain a diversity of fish and wildlife species, including priority at-risk species.

Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible to apply for funds. A subaward agreement to another State Conservation Agency is allowed. The Traditional HCA Lead State Agency for the State where the HCA grant application is based must be notified 1 month before an application is submitted by another eligible State Conservation Agency. The Traditional HCA Lead State Agency and the appropriate individual to contact is as follows: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Matt Starr, matthew.starr@ct.gov, 860-424-3080 New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Lynn Kovach, lynn.kovach@parks.ny.gov, 518-408-1967 New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. Carole Ann Dicton, caroleann.dicton@highlands.nj.gov, 908-879-6737 ext. 105 Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Dan Pierce, danipierce@pa.gov, 717-772-3742