The Department of Environmental Quality and the Michigan Lighthouse Alliance (MLA) announced today they had finalized a landmark bottomlands use agreement to facilitate the transfer of offshore lighthouses to private groups and local government entities dedicated to preserving the lighthouses and ensuring public access to them.

Two prominent offshore lighthouse groups, Detour Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society and Harbor Beach Lighthouse Preservation Society participated in the months of negotiations as potential direct beneficiaries of the agreement.

"I am prepared to recommend to our DRLPS Board that the agreement we have successfully negotiated is one we sign so we can finally receive the lighthouse we have worked many years to restore and maintain." said Clif Haley of Drummond Island, DRLPS Board member and a key participant in the talks.

"We have reached agreement on all points and I will be recommending that the City of Harbor Beach sign this so the Society can achieve its ultimate goal of turning over our lighthouse to the residents of the area after 27 years of stewardship," said Buzz Hoerr, President of the Michigan Lighthouse Alliance and the Harbor Beach Society.  "These were challenging talks that culminated in a template that will serve as a basis for all other offshore lights in Michigan waters.  Because this involves bottomlands owned by the people of Michigan, it was important to get it right.  It was the number one priority of the Alliance and it is great see it completed."

Both Hoerr and Haley praised DEQ Maritime Culture Advisor Carol Linteau, and the staff of the DEQ for their work to craft this agreement.  "Carol kept things moving internally and brought a fresh perspective to a very complex issue," said Haley.  "She and her colleagues wanted this to work to help save Michigan's offshore lights and she helped us while protecting the interests of the people of Michigan," said Hoerr.

"Together we negotiated an agreement that protects the bottomlands held in trust by Michigan citizens while making it as simple as possible for dedicated preservation groups to continue their critical work of protecting our lighthouses as precious symbols of Michigan's maritime heritage,"  said Linteau.  "We wish the MLA and these two local groups every success and look forward to providing assistance in the transfer process."

The MLA represents lighthouse groups working on most of the more than 100 lighthouses found throughout the Great Lakes in Michigan.  Under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, the federal government is able to transfer ownership of lighthouse structures from the United States Coast Guard by the General Services Administration to interested parties whose restoration and operational plans are approved by the National Park Service.  The bottomlands use agreement was required because offshore lighthouses sit on state owned and managed bottomlands.  The execution of this agreement will allow Lighthouse Stewards to continue their work after the federal government transfers the lighthouses to the stewards.

According to Hoerr, "The Alliance will now increase its focus on helping existing lighthouse stewardship groups find resources, increase membership, align with other lighthouses to jointly promote public access through tours, and provide exchanges of technical information between members.  We will host our third state conference in Traverse City in June 2010 when we hope to see DeTour and Harbor Beach lighthouses finalize transferred to their new owners."

"This agreement could not have been reached without the hard work and leadership provided by MLA's Buzz Hoerr and DeTour's Clif Haley and Dave Bardsley," said Linteau.  "I also want to recognize the assistance provided by the State Historic Preservation Office, key DEQ staff, and several assistant Attorneys General who advise our agencies.  I truly look forward to the June MLA conference.  We have much to celebrate, and much to accomplish in the future.  We move forward as effective partners for lighthouse preservation in the State of Michigan."

Editor's note:  DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq .

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