§305104 Terms of conveyance

Summary

When the United States gives a historic light station to an eligible group, the transfer must include rules to protect navigation aids and the public interest. The rules keep any Federal navigation equipment at the site as U.S. property and let the government keep operating, fixing, moving, or replacing that equipment. The new owner must not block or interfere with those aids without written permission. The owner must care for the station at their own expense following the Secretary of the Interior’s historic-preservation standards and get the Secretary’s approval, with State review, for any changes. The site must be open to the public for education, parks, recreation, culture, or historic preservation at reasonable hours and under reasonable rules. The owner may not sell, give away, mortgage, or use historic parts or artifacts (like lenses or lanterns) or run commercial activities there without the Secretary’s OK. The United States may enter without notice when needed to work on or inspect navigation aids or to enforce the rules. The owner does not have to maintain Federal navigation equipment, except any private aid the owner is allowed to have under title 14, section 83. The transfer will also usually say the property or artifacts can return to U.S. control if the owner stops meeting the public-use, maintenance, preservation, sale/encumbrance, or approval rules, or if the Administrator says the site is needed for national security (with at least 30 days’ written notice). If a previously federal-owned station with a U.S. reversion interest is being re-sold or given to someone else, the Secretary must check that the new owner can meet the old conditions and can ask for information. If the new owner cannot comply, the Secretary tells the Administrator, who will act to protect U.S. interests.