WASHINGTON, DC – The Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge Preservation Act, introduced by Third District Representative Walter B. Jones, received strong support yesterday during a hearing of the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans. The legislation, H.R. 5094, next will be recommended for a full committee mark-up.

H.R. 5094 would require the conveyance of Mattamuskeet Lodge and surrounding property to the state of North Carolina. The transfer would permit the state to use the property as a public facility dedicated to the conservation of the natural and cultural resources of North Carolina.

“This hearing was an important step in the process of transferring ownership of the Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge to the state of North Carolina,” Congressman Jones said yesterday. “Because the federal government has been unable to devote the several million dollars that will be required to restore the Mattamuskeet Lodge, transfer to state ownership is the right action for the future of the Lodge and for the people of Hyde County.”

“I am especially grateful to State Senator Marc Basnight and his staff for their help in developing this legislation, and to the Fish and Wildlife Service for their support,” Jones said.

In hearing testimony, Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service William Hartwig said: “The Mattamuskeet Lodge is an important and readily recognized symbol of northeastern North Carolina. The public is extremely concerned about the future of this symbol and wants the facility restored as soon as possible … The Administration supports this legislation.”

In a letter submitted for the record, North Carolina State Senator Marc Basnight wrote: “The State’s acquisition of the Lodge is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Hyde County and the State of North Carolina. This facility could be used as a community center, a local museum, a research station or any number of other educational, tourism and recreational purposes. I am committed to working to secure funding at the State level to begin the process of stabilization and restoration of the Lodge, which is on the National Register of Historic Properties.”

A resolution by the Hyde County Board of Commissioners in support of the transfer of ownership of the Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge from the United States Department of the Interior to the state of North Carolina was also submitted for the record.

For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Walter B. Jones, please contact Kathleen Joyce at (202) 225-3415.