Dan's Papers - November 16, 2007 - Lighthouse Deserted

One thing I know quite a bit about is the disposing of historic lighthouses. Many years ago, when the U. S. Coast Guard owned the Montauk Lighthouse, a plan was put forward to replace it with a 250-foot-tall steel tower that would be set about a thousand feet back from the edge of the cliff.

I got wind of this plan, called them and asked what they intended to do with the old lighthouse. It would become surplus government property, they said, and if after a year nobody wanted it, they would tear it down. They gave me as an example of this procedure what happened to the Ponquogue Lighthouse in Hampton Bays. I said there is no lighthouse at Ponquogue in Hampton Bays. And they told me there sure isn't because years before they had dynamited it to the ground. Later I found a photograph of the Ponquogue Lighthouse. Yup, there had been one.

Being that they were proposing the same thing for the Montauk Lighthouse didn't sound like a particularly great idea to me. And so, through the newspaper, I organized demonstrations in front of the lighthouse. After three of them, each attended by over two thousand people, the Lighthouse became one of the first structures to be placed on the New York State Register of Historic Places, and the Coast Guard relented. The Lighthouse is still there today, the property is owned by the Coast Guard and the lighthouse building itself owned by the Montauk Historical Society.

I mention this because last month there was news about another lighthouse in these parts giving up the ghost. It is located in the Long Island Sound on a rocky reef off a small town near Bridgeport, Connecticut and it is called the Penfield Reef Lighthouse. Built in the 19th century, it is not nearly as historic as the lighthouse in Montauk, but nevertheless is in need of saving.

The way it works is that when the Feds put something up into surplus property the States get first crack at it, and if they don't want it the County comes next and if they don't want it the Towns and non-profit organizations get a chance. The cost of a property in abandoned condition like this is $1.

Well, the States and the County declined, but two offers have come in from Towns and non-profits. Ultimately, the Feds will have to choose between them.

The first offer comes from the Town of Penfield. They propose to restore the little lighthouse and open it as a tourist attraction. It will cost about half a million dollars to properly restore. It's in bad shape, but not that bad shape.

The other offer has come from a non-profit organization called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA. Here's the first paragraph of a letter sent three weeks ago from Matt Prescott of PETA to Saundra Robbins at the GSA Property Disposal Division.

On behalf of PETA and our more than 1.6 million members and supporters worldwide, I would like to express PETA's interest in taking ownership of the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, in accordance with the recent offer of the lighthouse at no charge to a non-profit or other eligible entity. PETA recently launched its Fish Empathy Project, with the purpose of increasing society's respect and compassion for sea animals. The Penfield Reef Lighthouse would be a perfect location for the project's headquarters."

Mr. Prescott continued by describing the suffering, humiliation and pain felt by fish. He talked about how fish have individual personalities, talk to each other, show affection by gently rubbing up against one another and grieve when their companions die.

He quoted Dr. Sylvia Earle, a prominent marine biologist, who said, "I wouldn't deliberately eat a grouper any more than I'd eat a cocker spaniel." And he wrote that fish are capable of using tools, gathering information by eavesdropping, feeling pain when stabbed by, for instance, a metal hook, and besides that are very sensitive, caring creatures. "Fish are so good natured and curious," he continued, quoting Dr. Earle. "They hurt so much when they're wounded."

In hopes of persuading Ms. Robbins to choose PETA as the recipient of the lighthouse, Mr. Prescott described what that organization would do at the Lighthouse if selected.

"If given ownership of the Penfield Reef Lighthouse, PETA would install interactive educational displays to help the public learn more about fish and why they should not be abused. The lighthouse would also be a perfect location to display the world's first Fish Empathy Quilt, a 300-square-foot quilt made by PETA volunteers that pays tribute to the billions of fish cruelly killed each year for "sport" so that humans can eat their flesh. Finally, we would open a café at the lighthouse serving faux fish sticks and other animal-friendly fare."

It does make one wonder what PETA would do after that. Would they install cannons in the rock fortress that supports the Lighthouse to fire cannonballs at passing fishing draggers? Could be a good learning experience for children, since it would involve the skills they learn while playing video games.

I don't know. Am I going too far in my thinking? I hope not. I don't mean to exaggerate.

In any case, as a result of this sensational PETA application, the residents of Penfield and nearby Bridgeport, who would look out upon the lighthouse, went into a sort of overdrive.

They inundated the City and Town councils with letters urging them to vigorously pursue the purchase of the lighthouse from the Federal Government. They wrote letters to the Coast Guard, to PETA itself damning them to hell, to the GSA Property Disposal Division and to various newspapers and TV stations. They called PETA blackmailers, kidnappers and worse.

PETA, three days ago, addressed a letter to the Penfield Town Council offering to withdraw their application if certain PETA conditions were met. The conditions were that 1. No fishing allowed from the lighthouse or the lighthouse grounds. 2. No fish allowed to be eaten in the lighthouse or on the lighthouse grounds and 3. The Town of Penfield must pass a law prohibiting any cruelty to fish on the grounds of the Penfield Reef Light.

The residents of Penfield have reacted strongly with charges of hostage holding, kidnapping, bribery and worse. But a spokesman for the Town of Penfield has waffled.

"We cannot comment on the applications of others," said First Selectman Kenneth Flatto. "Our application will stand on its own with the goal of preserving the lighthouse. Every group is entitled to apply. Every group is entitled to their opinions. It would be imprudent to comment further because our application is separate from theirs."

And now, with all the news about the battle for the Penfield Reef Lighthouse in the media, there are more applications from organizations that want it.

They are Beacon Properties, the Kennedy Healing Foundation, the St. Ambrose Foundation, Menzies and Del Function, Inc.

God knows what these people have in mind. Sure glad that the Montauk Lighthouse snuck in under the wire.