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The NHLPA Program at a Glance
Excess Government Property and the Notice of Availability
When a federal agency determines a historic light station to be excess to its needs, GSA will issue a “Notice of Availability” (NOA) for the property. Once the NOA has been issued, any eligible entity with an interest in acquiring the light station must 1) submit a letter of interest to GSA and 2) submit a copy of the letter to the SHPO of the state in which the light station is located within sixty (60) days of the date the NOA is issued.
Letters of interest must include:
- Name of the light station property
- Name of the eligible entity
- Point of contact, title, address, phone number(s) and email of the eligible entity
- Nonprofit corporations, educational agencies, and community development organizations must provide a copy of their state-certified articles of incorporation
GSA will forward a list of eligible entities from information provided in these letters to the NPS.
The NHLPA Application and Site Visit
NPS will send an application to eligible entities that have submitted a complete letter of interest as determined by GSA. Eligible entities will then be given an opportunity to inspect the property at a site visit, the date of which is set by GSA and USCG. The completed application must be submitted to the NPS ninety (90) days after the date of the site visit.
The NHLPA Review Process
The NPS Review Committee is made up of:
- at least one expert in cultural resources management;
- at least one expert in maritime history and/or preservation;
- and at least one expert in park and recreational programs.
The NPS Review Committee will evaluate the applications for completeness; past performance; ability to carry forward the goals of the NHLPA; compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (36 CFR 68); and most important, compliance with legal requirements of the NHLPA and the National Historic Preservation Act, of which the NHLPA is an amendment. The application, once accepted, becomes the principal planning document for the light station. In addition, the SHPO of the state in which the light station is listed will be provided with copies of all submitted applications and asked to provide comments which will also be considered in the NPS review.
At the end of the evaluation process, the NPS Review Committee will submit a recommendation to the Director of the National Park Service who will in turn make a recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior.
In cases where there are multiple applicants for a single light station, the applicants whose applications were rejected will have the opportunity to request a review of the evaluation and recommendation.
Transferring NHLPA Light Stations
The Secretary of the Interior will notify the Administrator of GSA as to the recommended applicant and GSA will complete the conveyance to the selected recipient. If no acceptable steward is found at the end of the NHLPA application process, the property will be offered for sale by competitive bid or auction. Lighthouses for sale will be posted at http://propertydisposal.gsa.gov. |
