In an effort to protect the nation's maritime legacy, Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski today introduced bipartisan legislation designed to protect historic lighthouses nationwide. The bill amends the National Historic Preservation Act to set up a process for the lighthouses to be used as parks, recreational, cultural, educational or historic facilities and to be maintained by state agencies, or local governments, non-profit corporations, educational agencies or community development groups. The bill, which gives lighthouse friends groups first dibs to participate in the takeover of a local historic lighthouse when surplused by federal agencies, calls for the properties to revert to the national government if preservation efforts by local groups ever fail.
Lighthouses are among the most romantic reminders of our country's maritime heritage.
Marking dangerous areas, these structures played a vital role in supporting this nation s maritime transportation and commerce. The bill, slightly different from a Murkowski measure that passed the Senate in 1998, would allow for the sale of surplus lighthouses when no entity steps forward to help preserve the structure. But it earmarks any profits from such a sale by the General Services Administration to the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program. The program within the National Park Service, since its creation in 1994, has been awaiting funding to provide grants for maritime heritage preservation and education projects. These lighthouses could be used by the community as a park, a community center or tourist bureau.