 Norton Announces Next 20 Lighthouses Available Under Preservation Program September 30, 2002
 Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Located in every region of the country, the lighthouses are the second set to be transferred by Norton under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Program, which she launched with six lighthouses in June 2002. Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, the Department of the Interior is charged with recommending the transfer of historic lighthouses (at no cost) to federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit corporations and community development organizations. "This program has proven to be one of the most popular ones ever at the Interior Department, " Norton said, noting that a hotline had to be set up to handle the volume of calls. "Lighthouses seem to capture our imagination and many people are devoted to their preservation.  Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard "One of the outstanding features of this program is that it puts nonprofits on an equal footing with government in becoming partners in preserving lighthouses," Norton noted. "Sometimes private groups can do more than the federal government. They bring their enthusiasm and willingness to work endless hours to restore something they love." More than 300 lighthouses are under consideration. The law places preservation of the historic light station first and directs federal agencies to work with the U.S. Coast Guard, the
According to today's U.S. Department of the Interior news release, if no qualified steward is found, the act authorizes the competitive public sale of the property. Although there are currently no lighthouses being offered for public sale, more may become available in the future through the NHLPA process. Ultimately, the Secretary of the Interior decides the best possible steward(s) for each lighthouse. Following today's announcement, GSA will issue a formal Notice of Availability. Eligible parties have 60 days to submit letters of interest on a particular lighthouse to GSA for consideration. After the 60-day comment period, the National Park Service will send applications to qualified entities. "I encourage all those who want to get involved in saving lighthouses to join a historical preservation organization or coordinated community effort," Norton said. "Countless hours of volunteer work are at the heart of this program and will be instrumental to its success." Guard Island Lighthouse was established in 1904 and is located north of Ketchikan - Tongass Narrows Entrance/Clarence Strait. Also included on the list of the 20 Lighthouses announced today is Juneau's Sentinel Island Lighthouse which was established in 1902. For a full list of the 20 lighthouses to be made available Fall 2002 under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Program and for details on each individual Lighthouse, see http://www.doi.gov/lighthouses or call 202-513-7244.
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Source of Historical Photographs
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