The federal budget package released Monday afternoon includes language (Division FF, Title V) repealing 2009 and 2012 bills associated with the plan to relocate the animal disease research facility on Plum Island to Manhattan, Kansas. The House and Senate are expected to pass the bill promptly, and the president is expected to sign it.
This action will restore the normal disposal procedure for federal property instead of auctioning it off to the highest bidder. Next steps then include ensuring the island is transferred to another federal agency, state, or other body, a process that may take several years.
“It is rare in conservation to get a second chance. All too often, a species becomes irretrievably lost to extinction or a forest is irreparably destroyed by development. But Congress, through repeal of the mandate directing the sale of Plum Island, is giving the island a second chance,” said John Turner, spokesperson for the Preserve Plum Island Coalition. “But this second chance is really a first step. The Coalition calls on all those who care about Plum Island to stand by as we look to the next steps in keeping it forever in public ownership.”
The Preserve Plum Island Coalition (PPIC), an alliance of 116 organizations across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, has been fighting to save the island’s rare habitats and cultural resources for a decade. The Coalition has developed a vision for the island’s future and, should Congress take a public auction off the table by passing the bill, will shift its attention to implementing that vision, starting with identifying an appropriate owner for Plum Island that can ensure conservation.
Plum Island, located at the eastern end of Long Island Sound, is home to nationally significant natural and cultural resources including lands traditionally used by Indigenous nations; a historic, decommissioned Army post; and more than 500 plant and animal species, 111 of which are species of conservation concern. For 11 years it has been at risk of being sold to private developers, which would deprive the public of all the island has to offer. Such a sale would also cause irreversible harm to wildlife, including seals and endangered roseate terns; threaten historical buildings; and risk Indigenous and American cultural history.
“We’re closer than we’ve ever been to saving Plum Island,” said Curt Johnson, president of Save the Sound, which coordinates the Preserve Plum Island Coalition. “Senator Schumer’s negotiating power, Senators Murphy and Blumenthal’s networking, and the leadership of Congressmembers Zeldin, DeLauro, Courtney, and Lowey—along with unwavering support from the entire Long Island Sound Congressional delegation—have brought us this far. With the passage and signature of this bill, the normal process for dealing with federally-owned property will be re-opened. A path to permanent conservation is within our sights and Save the Sound will be there every step of that path.”
Bill Ulfelder, New York executive director of The Nature Conservancy, said, “The Nature Conservancy is proud to have worked closely with members of Congress from across the country and partners to save Plum Island. This bipartisan victory would not have been possible without Senators Schumer, Blumenthal, Gillibrand, and Murphy, and Congressmembers Zeldin, Lowey, DeLauro, and Courtney. We are grateful for their unwavering commitment to preserving the island’s remarkable wildlife and heritage and bringing back good jobs that benefit the local economy.”
“Plum Island is an ecological treasure, and the historic gateway to the Peconic Estuary, and because of the dedicated work of our elected leaders in Connecticut and New York, this magnificent environmental asset is finally being pulled off the market for a sale to the highest bidder,” said Bob DeLuca, president, Group for the East End. “The preservation of Plum Island has been eastern Long Island’s largest single conservation priority for over a decade, and today we are one step closer to that ambitious and important goal.”
The most recent budget language, championed by Senators Chuck Schumer and Chris Murphy and Congressman Lee Zeldin, restores the usual disposal process for federal properties, which entails offering the property first to other federal agencies, then to the state of jurisdiction, followed by the county and municipalities, then nongovernmental organizations. This opens the path to ownership and management by a federal agency or a state body, or a partnership of such bodies.
“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,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Minority Leader (D-NY). “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.”
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said, “Today we can finally and fully celebrate preserving Plum Island. This exquisite environmental treasure has been spared a headlong rush to sell to the highest bidder. We will continue to fight to preserve this special gem from future development. Plum Island is a unique environmental resource that is home to hundreds of species of wildlife and numerous important historical sites that must be preserved for future generations to enjoy. I thank Connecticut’s environmental advocates, including Save the Sound and The Nature Conservancy, for their tireless work in this effort. I also thank my colleagues from the New York and Connecticut delegations for their partnership in securing this important provision.”
“It’s taken years of work to get this done, but finally, we’ve stopped the shortsighted plan to sell Plum Island to the highest bidder,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT). “Plum Island is so important, both ecologically and historically, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in the Connecticut and New York delegations who have worked tirelessly with me to get this repeal across the finish line.”
U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (NY-1) said, “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. 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.”
Innumerable lawmakers at every level of government have contributed to the ongoing fight to permanently protect Plum Island. In the last two years alone, this includes the following cosponsors of multiple pieces of federal legislation: U.S. Senators Schumer, Blumenthal, Gillibrand, and Murphy, and U.S. Representatives Lee Zeldin, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Antonio Delgado, Eliot Engel, Peter King, James Langevin, John Larson, Nita Lowey, Grace Meng, Kathleen Rice, and Tom Suozzi.
Assets to be released from public sale by the repeal legislation include a 9.5-acre ferry transport parcel and harbor at Orient Point, New York. The ferry parcel and Plum Island are considered one property to be disposed of together. The legislation also provides $18.9 million for decommissioning and cleanup of the island.
In July 2020, The Nature Conservancy and Save the Sound briefed congressional staff on Envision Plum Island, a report developed at the request of congressional offices. The PPIC convened large groups of diverse stakeholders, including critical leaders from the Town of Southold, NY, Suffolk County, the New York State Legislatures, and the State of New York’s administration, to identify viable alternatives to development. Over the course of two years, Native American nations, business owners, ecologists, conservationists, historical preservationists, archaeologists, and local and state officials studied possibilities for the island. The document laid out detailed options for ownership and management which can now be explored in earnest, and a holistic vision for use of the island and ferry parcel. This includes conservation of over 600 acres for wildlife, carefully managed ecotourism, preservation of historic Fort Terry and the Plum Island Lighthouse, reuse of existing buildings and generation of research jobs, and a small museum highlighting the island’s natural resources and cultural resources.
The mission of the Preserve Plum Island Coalition (PPIC) is to secure the permanent protection of the significant natural and cultural resources of Plum Island.