Great Falls in Paterson becomes national park with Obama's signature

President Obama signed legislation today designating the Great Falls in Paterson as a national park, which provides additional federal protections for the 77-foot waterfall.

The lush area in Passaic just 15 miles from Manhattan is home to the second highest waterfall on the East Coast. The National Park Service had initially declined to add Great Falls to the national park list two years ago, but local advocates including Paterson-native U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-8th Dist.), pressed the case.