Federal lawmakers on Monday passed a $1.4 trillion general appropriations bill that includes a provision to halt the public auction of Plum Island, the pristine 840-acre island that is officially part of Southold Town but is owned by the federal Department of Homeland Security.
Preservationists and elected officials have been trying to pull the sale of Plum Island off the table for years, ever since Congress ordered its auction in 2008 and scheduled the decommissioning of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center for 2023. Proceeds of the sale were to fund a new research center in Kansas and to return the island to its natural state.
The provision to halt the sale of the island came in the form of an amendment to the 2021 government funding plan, Senator Chuck Schumer said in a release last Wednesday. It passed on Monday.
Also included is a stipulation that local residents will decide the future of the island. The bill allocates $18.9 million to the Department of Homeland Security to rehabilitate the terrain after the research center is closed.
“Our longtime push to save Plum Island from some ‘high bidder’ or anyone else who might neglect its natural resources, environmental value, our local stakeholders and concerned communities is now realized — Plum Island is saved and its sale is finally off the table,” Mr. Schumer said. “It would have been a grave mistake to sell and develop Plum Island’s 840 acres of habitat, which is home to many endangered species. That’s why preventing the unnecessary sale requirement was a top priority of these negotiations. Now the people of Long Island will have their say in its future — and rightfully so.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Lee Zeldin were also involved, working with Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to negotiate the preservation of the island.
“Not only does Plum Island offer diverse wildlife, a precious ecosystem, and critical habitat for migratory birds, marine mammals, and rare plants, but it is an essential cultural and historical resource as well,” Mr. Zeldin said in a statement. “The current law, which mandates the sale of the island to the highest bidder, is the wrong path forward. It’s an honor to deliver this huge win that will reverse that law and help preserve Plum Island’s rich history and tap into its limitless potential for generations to come.”
Mr. Zeldin had tried at least five times since taking office in 2015 to initiate a repeal of the 2008 legislation mandating the island's sale. The legislation passed the House but failed each time in the Senate.
In 2019, Congress approved $1.5 million to restore the Plum Island lighthouse. The nearly undeveloped island is home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, and other wildlife, including more than 100 species that are endangered or at risk of endangerment. It is also home to the late-19th century Fort Terry.
“Any measure to remove the potential sale of the island to private bidders is welcome news,” Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said in an email to the Star. “From the very beginning, when federal legislation was passed requiring the sale, the town and other agencies took steps to block it. It made no sense then and it makes even less sense now.”
Environmental advocates have been pushing for preservation for many years now. Bob DeLuca, president of Group for the East End, said before the bill passed that the change is “an incredibly important turn of events." Once the island is off the auction block, he said, “the opportunities for a conservation outcome go up exponentially and precious time can now be spent on considering a wide range of strategies that put preservation of this natural wonder ahead of the almighty dollar.”
“I think it’s safe to say that this action may be one of the most important conservation opportunities that we have had in the last decade, and one of the most uplifting environmental outcomes in what has otherwise been a very, very tough year for people across our region and throughout the nation,” Mr. DeLuca said. “It’s also important to recognize that this was a bipartisan effort and demonstrates that when the public is unified, our elected leaders can work together for the collective good and produce some very meaningful outcomes.”
