Plum Island Preservation Act
The Plum Island Preservation Act would place Plum Island, New York, and its associated properties under a permanent protective framework. The bill states that Plum Island should be preserved in perpetuity for ecological conservation, for discovering and celebrating its historical and cultural heritage, and to maintain public access. It requires the General Services Administration (GSA) administrator, within 180 days of enactment, to begin a process of formal visioning sessions to explore the basis for a future ecological management plan, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, the Interior, other federal and state agencies, tribal governments, and other stakeholders. The administrator must then provide annual reports to Congress for up to two years after such initiation, and then each year until one year after the visioning sessions are completed. These reports would describe who was consulted, topics discussed, outcomes or expected outcomes, timelines if not completed, and any recommendations that could form the basis for a future ecological management plan.
Key Points
- 1Permanent preservation: Plum Island and its related properties are to be protected in perpetuity for ecological conservation, historical and cultural heritage, and continued public access.
- 2Visioning sessions: Within 180 days of enactment, the GSA Administrator, in consultation with DHS, the Interior, relevant federal and state agencies, Tribal governments, and other stakeholders, must initiate formal visioning sessions to explore a future ecological management plan.
- 3Reporting requirement: Starting no later than two years after initiation, and annually thereafter until one year after visioning sessions are completed, the Administrator must report to the Senate and House committees detailing who was consulted, topics discussed, outcomes, timelines, and any recommendations that could form the basis for an ecological management plan.
- 4Potential future plan: The visioning process may form the basis for a future ecological management plan for Plum Island, aligning with its preservation goals.
- 5Administrative scope: The act defines Plum Island broadly as the consolidated federal asset and includes associated real and personal property, such as the Orient Point terminal and facilities.
- 6No funding provisions shown: The text provided does not include specific appropriation or funding details; the bill sets duties and reporting requirements without explicit budget language.