Passed by Congress in 2004, the Highlands Conservation Act designated the four-state Highlands as a region of national importance and authorized up to $100 million in land acquisition funding, and $10 million in technical assistance funding to be made available over 10 years.
The Highlands Conservation Act authorization originally expired in 2014, and was reauthorized until 2021 in the omnibus spending package passed in March 2018.
Federal funding provided by the Highlands Conservation Act has helped protect more than 6,000 acres of the highest valued conservation lands in the region, in partnership with non-profit organizations and state and local governments. Provided through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, $30 million in federal funding has been allocated to the Highlands program since 2004, matching over $45 million in private and local matching funds.