PRINTER'S NO. 2357
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1877
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY BONNER, DECEMBER 5, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 5, 2023
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of
2 portions of State park lands in exchange for certain lands
3 situate in New Vernon Township, Mercer County, from the
4 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to the
5 Department of Transportation for anticipated highway
6 improvement projects.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Transfer of administrative jurisdiction.
10 (a) Authorization.--The Department of Conservation and
11 Natural Resources, with the approval of the Governor, is
12 authorized on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to
13 transfer administrative jurisdiction of portions of State park
14 lands described under subsection (c), free of restrictions
15 imposed by section 20 of the act of June 22, 1964 (Sp.Sess. 1,
16 P.L.131, No.8), known as the Project 70 Land Acquisition and
17 Borrowing Act, to the Department of Transportation, situate in
18 various State parks, in exchange for certain property to be
19 conveyed to the Department of Conservation and Natural
20 Resources, which shall be subject to the restrictions specified
 1 in the Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act.
2 (b) Highway improvement project replacement land.--The land
3 acquired by the Department of Transportation and described under
4 subsection (d) shall be conveyed to the Department of
5 Conservation and Natural Resources for purposes of replacing
6 State park lands needed for highway improvement projects.
7 (c) Transfer of administrative jurisdiction.--
8 (1) The transfer of administrative jurisdiction of State
9 park lands from the Department of Conservation and Natural
10 Resources to the Department of Transportation, in accordance
11 with subsection (a), shall consist of portions of State park
12 land, with most ranging from approximately 0.03 acres to 1.5
13 acres per a Department of Transportation highway improvement
14 project. The exact acreage to be transferred for each highway
15 improvement project will be determined upon the completion of
16 the Department of Transportation's schematic design for each
17 transportation project, which are limited to the pre-
18 identified projects in paragraph (2). The schematic design
19 for each highway improvement project, which have not been
20 completed at this time, is required to determine the
21 project's impact to the State park land.
22 (2) Pre-identified highway improvement projects:
23 Project
24 State Park Description Project Narrative County
25 Bald Eagle Bridge SR 0026 over Bald Eagle Centre
26 State Park improvements Creek, Howard Township
27 Bucktail Bridge SR 0120 over Dry Run, Clinton
28 State Park improvements Noyes Township
29 Clear Creek Resurfacing SR 2001 (Greenwood Road) Forest
30 State Park from SR 0089 to Coon
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 1 Road, Barnett Township
2 Codorus State Bridge SR 3070 (Black Rock York
3 Park Replacement Road) over Tributary of
4 West Branch of Codorus
5 Creek, West Manheim
6 Township
7 Cook Forest Resurfacing SR 0899 from Jefferson Forest
8 State Park County line to Bear Run
9 Road, Barnett Township
10 Kettle Creek Maintenance BOX SR 4001 over Summerson Clinton
11 State Park culvert Run, Leidy Township
12 Laurel Hills Bridge Over Laurel Hill Creek, Somerset
13 State Park improvements Jefferson Township
14 Lehigh Gorge Bridge I-80 over SR 1005, Carbon
15 State Park replacement Lehigh River and Reading
16 Blue Mountain and
17 Northern Railroad
18 Oil Creek Bridge SR 0008 (William Flinn Venango
19 State Park preservation Highway), Rynd Farm
20 Bridge over Oil Creek,
21 Cornplanter Township
22 Oil Creek Bridge SR 1004 (Petroleum Venango
23 State Park preservation, Center Road), Bridge
24 rehabilitation over Oil Creek,
25 or replacement Cornplanter Township
26 Promised Land Bridge SR 0390 (Promised Land Pike
27 State Park replacement Road) over Outlet to
28 Promised Land Lake,
29 Greene Township
30 Pymatuning Bridge SR 3011 (Hartstown Crawford
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 1 State Park preservation or Road), Bridge over
2 rehabilitation Pymatuning Reservoir,
3 Pine Township
4 Tyler State Bridge Swamp Road at Pennswood Bucks
5 Park Replacement Road over Branch of
6 Neshaminy Creek
7 (d) Deed of conveyance.--The replacement land to be conveyed
8 in accordance with subsection (b) consists of approximately
9 19.51 acres and improvements thereon as follows:
10 ALL THAT CERTAIN tract of land situated in the Township of
11 New Vernon, County of Mercer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
12 BEGINNING at a point in the center of Township Road No. 308
13 at the west line of land of Palermino Lachiatto; hence South 0°
14 55' 13" East along the west line of the land of Lachiatto a
15 distance of 540.0 feet to a point; thence North 72° 11' 27" west
16 along the land of Merle and Fran Elder a distance of 610.10 feet
17 to a point; thence continuing along the land of Elder or along
18 the property of the other abutting owner North 0° 43' 39" West a
19 distance of 365.39 feet to a point in the center line of said
20 Township Road no. 308; thence along the center line of said road
21 South 55° 36' 50" East 1115.31 feet to a point and south 53° 22'
22 57" East a distance of 295.54 feet to the place of beginning.
23 Containing 19.51 acres.; and BEING Uniform Parcel Identifier no.
24 19-062-032.
25 (e) Easements and encumbrances.--The conveyances described
26 in this section shall be under and subject to all lawful and
27 enforceable easements, servitudes and rights of others,
28 including, but not confined to, streets, roadways and rights of
29 any telephone, telegraph, water, electric, gas or pipeline
30 companies, as well as under and subject to any lawful and
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 1 enforceable estates or tenancies vested in third persons
2 appearing of record for any portion of the land or improvements
3 erected thereon.
4 (f) Restrictions.--The replacement land referenced in
5 subsection (d) will be under and subject to the following
6 restriction: "This indenture is given to provide land for
7 recreation, conservation and historical purposes, as said
8 purposes are defined in the 'Project 70 Land Acquisition and
9 Borrowing Act,' approved June 22, 1964, P.L.131."
10 (g) Deeds of conveyance.--The deed for the conveyance of the
11 replacement land referenced in subsection (d) shall be by quit
12 claim deed.
13 (h) Costs and fees.--All costs and fees incidental to the
14 conveyances contained in this section shall be borne by their
15 respective parties.
16 Section 2. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect immediately.
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