Plum Island Off Auction Block After Years-Long Fight

NORTH FORK, NY — After a fierce battle that spanned years, environmentalists and elected officials rejoiced as they announced that Plum Island will no longer be sold on the auction block.

"Congress passed a federal budget package that repeals the auction of the island. Now the path is finally open for permanent protection of this unique place and its critical habitats, endangered wildlife, and and cultural history," the Preserve Plum Island Coalition said in a release last week.

The federal budget package released last week included language repealing 2009 and 2012 bills that aimed to relocate the animal disease research facility on Plum Island to Manhattan, Kansas. The House and Senate passed the bill Monday night with an hour to spare; President Donald Trump was expected to sign the package, but it is also protected by a veto-proof majority, the release said.

"This action restores 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," the coalition said.

Locally, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell — who, along with the Southold town board, passed legislation in 2013 protecting Plum Island from a purchaser who might be eyeing the parcel for development — applauded the news.

"The removal of Plum Island from the auction block is a huge victory for everyone who has worked so hard to protect this rare jewel. Rep. Lee Zeldin and our other elected officials have worked hard with Save The Sound and other organizations to form a formidable partnership to stop what was an ill-conceived plan to begin with. Southold was pleased to have joined the fight and we are all happy with the outcome," he said.

Residents have turned out at many meetings over the years and spoken passionately about Plum Island's future.

Southold's zoning plan for the island call for a Plum Island research district, which would comprise 20 percent of the island, and a Plum Island conservation district, that would make up the remaining 80 percent, which would be a natural preserve. The goal has been to create some kind of research facility that could possibly keep the 400 year-round jobs that currently exist on Plum Island in town.

Elected officials and environmentalists all weighed in on the victory in a fight that began with former Rep. Tim Bishop fighting against the sale.

“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. “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.”

“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, 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.

Plum Island 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, the Coalition said.

The recent legislation, supported by championed by Senators Schumer and Chris Murphy and Rep. 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," the release said.

Zeldin has fought for years for the preservation of Plum 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. The current law, which mandates the sale of the island to the highest bidder, is the wrong path forward," Zeldin said. "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.”

Assets to be released from public sale by the repeal legislation include a 9.5-acre ferry transport parcel and harbor at Orient Point; the ferry parcel and Plum Island are considered one property to be disposed of together. The legilation also provides $18.9 million for decommissioning and cleanup of the island.

“What an historic moment! A trip to Plum Island is like walking back in time to a natural environment that is largely untouched," said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "The preservation of Plum Island is truly something to celebrate."