Lighthouses Protected Us; Now We Must Protect Them
09-04-2009
Michigans coastlines define our state. Every time we hold up our right hands in that familiar mitten shape to show an out-of-stater where were from, we reaffirm the importance of our Great Lakes shores to our identity. And for decades, that boundary between land and water has been marked by lighthouses, silent sentinels that helped mariners navigate those often-dangerous shores.
Now, the lighthouses that protected Great Lakes shipping for so many years are in need of our protection. Thats why I have authored the National Lighthouse Stewardship Act, a bill that would aid the preservation and rehabilitation of historic lighthouses in Michigan and other coastal states, and introduced it along with Michigans Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
The recent history of lighthouse preservation is encouraging and at the same time worrisome. As satellites and electronics took over the navigation tasks lighthouses once fulfilled, the U.S. Coast Guard, which operated the lighthouses, looked to dispose of them. In 2000, I joined with Sen. Frank Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, to pass the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. This law allowed the expedited transfer of lighthouses to state and local governments or nonprofit agencies, which could then take over preservation efforts.
More than 50 lighthouses have now been transferred under the law, including 13 in Michigan, a great victory for historic preservation. These transfers have saved historically significant landmarks, helped boost local tourism and honored the maritime legacy of Michigan and other states. The tourism aspect is especially important; these structures draw thousands of visitors to our state. It is no coincidence that lighthouse images have become important symbols on everything from tourism brochures to our license plates.
But in many cases, the preservation task these nonprofits face has been daunting. Dr. Kirk L. Lindquist, a member of the Michigan Lighthouse Project, told a Senate subcommittee in July that renovation costs can reach $1.5 million per lighthouse, and that merely maintaining existing structures can cost $80,000 a year. It is easy to predict the fate of properties that cannot be maintained by volunteer or private landlords, he said during that hearing. They will be abandoned.
That hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks discussed the lighthouse stewardship act that we have introduced. The bill would establish a pilot program to provide grants to nonprofit lighthouse owners for preservation and rehabilitation. The program, which would offer up to $20 million a year in grants for three years, would provide a much-needed boost to preservation efforts. As I told the subcommittee during its hearing, this funding would help ensure that our lighthouses remain cultural beacons for years to come.
These lighthouses are an important reminder of another time, a time when mariners couldnt depend on GPS and radio to find their way to safety. The importance these beams of safety played in our states economic development and its maritime culture, and their importance now in preserving that history, cannot be over-stated. These lighthouses saved lives and helped build our state; now its time for us to recognize their contributions past and future. I am hopeful that Congress will act soon to approve legislation to do just that.
Carl Levin is the senior U.S. senator from Michigan.