Plum Island Preservation

Dec 9

As co-founder of the Preserve Plum Island Coalition, the Group is advocating for the protection of this unique, 840-acre ecological treasure trove of rare and endangered species. Since 2008, Plum Island was being threatened by federal bureaucrats and politicians who wanted to sell it to the highest bidder, but our persistence paid off in 2020 when Congress passed legislation that finally took the island off the auction block. An enormous victory, but there is still much work to be done. PPIC can now determine the best possible preservation outcomes, including the transfer to another federal agency, New York State or other body.

In the fall of 2024, a new bill was introduced in the United States Senate that could significantly improve the chances of Plum Island being permanently preserved. Known as the Plum Island Preservation Act (S. 5099), the new legislation calls unequivocally for the preservation of Plum Island in perpetuity for the purpose of “ecological conservation, historical preservation, and the discovery and celebration of shared cultural heritage of the island.”

Under the direction of the General Services Administration, the bill establishes specific timelines, consultation requirements, and reporting obligations, which are necessary in developing a conservation management plan and ensuring that goals for the island are achieved and sustained.