June 11, 2002
Contact: GSA Communications Office
(202) 501-1231
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) this week marks the first two lighthouse transfers under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2002 (NHLPA) pilot disposal program. The NHLPA enables nonprofits to join federal agencies and other public bodies to obtain historic lighthouse properties at no cost.
Rondout Light, transferred yesterday to host town, Kingston, N.Y., was the first conveyance. Maintenance and preservation will be conducted by the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Tomorrow, Front and Rear Range Lights on Lake Superior in Munising, Michigan will be transferred to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which is managed by the National Park Service.
"GSA is proud to see the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2002 become a reality," GSA Administrator Perry said. "Preservation of these national treasures reflects sound asset management, consistent with President Bush's Freedom to Manage Agenda. Working as partners, GSA, along with the Department of Interior, United States Coast Guard, states, local communities and nonprofit organizations succeeded in expanding public access to these historic properties."
In addition, GSA announced today that Tybee Island Historical Society Inc. will become the new owner of the Tybee Island Lighthouse Complex on Tybee Island, Georgia. The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Inc. will become the new owner of the St. Augustine Lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida. The new owners leased and preserved the lighthouses for more than a decade.
Also to be transferred under the pilot program is Little River Light, Cutler, Maine, which will go to American Lighthouse Foundation. Others that will be transferred under the pilot program include Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, Esopus, New York, Cheboygan River Range Lighthouse, Cheboygan, Michigan, Sturgeon Point Lighthouse, Harrisville, Michigan.
Under NHLPA, GSA issues Notices of Availability to interested parties, then develops and executes conveyance documents. The U.S. Coast Guard identifies and reports excess light stations to GSA, and the Department of the Interior issues applications to interested parties, then reviews, evaluates and selects the no-cost grantee.
A group's financial ability to maintain the historic light station and adhere to historic covenants and other terms and conditions of the transfer are given significant consideration in the review process. In the event no new acceptable steward is found, the act authorizes sale of the property.
GSA is a centralized federal procurement and property management agency created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. It acquires, on behalf of federal agencies, office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services. GSA, comprised of 14,000 associates, provides services and solutions for the office operations of over 1 million federal workers located in 8,300 government -owned and leased buildings in 1,600 U.S. communities.