Another Step Closer to Great Falls of NJ National Park

Rep. Bill Pascarell, Jr. (D-NJ8) has been pushing to get the Great Falls of Paterson, New Jersey designated a national park so that additional federal funds can flow into the area and help restore not only the falls and its immediate surroundings, but to increase the visibility of this natural wonder only minutes from Manhattan. It passed in the House and awaits action in the Senate.

The U.S. House of Representatives tonight passed a bill to establish the Great Falls of Paterson as a national park.

The 256-122 vote represents one hurdle cleared in the recent push to better showcase the 77-foot-high landmark along the Passaic River. The national park designation would enable the Falls to receive federal money, which would boost the $10 million set aside by the state for initial construction on a plan unveiled last month.

The federal legislation passed today was introduced by Rep. William Pascrell Jr. (D-8th Dist.), a leading Falls advocate who has estimated the park - built with state help - will cost $22 million. The bill would designate about 109 acres of the Paterson Great Falls Historic District as a new unit of the National Park Service, which would be charged with operating the park, restoring and preserving historic structures and creating new exhibits.

This comes on the heels of state officials moving to designate the area a state park - a fallback position if the national park designation fails to materialize.