Federal funding provided by the Highlands Conservation Act has helped protect more than 9,405 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, Highlands funding has contributed $24 million to land conservation and has leveraged $48 million in non-federal dollars.

The Highlands Conservation Act (HCA) provides for the purchase and preservation of threatened lands in a four-state Northeastern corridor that includes NY, NJ, CT, and PA.  In 2004, Congress passed HCA, authorizing $10 million a year in land conservation funding and $1 million a year in technical assistance for land conservation projects in the Highlands region for a period of 10 years. The program was reauthorized through 2021.

Most recently, the Highlands Conservation Act has been funded at $10 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, $20 million in FY 2019, and $10 million in FY 2016-2018.