Plan to sell Plum Island moving ahead despite protests
The federal government is pushing forward with plans to auction Plum Island to the highest bidder, despite repeated concerns raised by lawmakers and environmental groups that there is not enough information to support the sale.
The General Services Administration and Department of Homeland Security issued its “record of decision” last Thursday night. The recommendation is one of the last steps before the property is put to auction.
The agencies hope to close the research laboratory at Plum Island and use the profits from the island’s sale to cover the cost of constructing a new, $1.1 billion animal disease research laboratory in Manhattan, Kan. A facility at Kansas State University is necessary in order to study zoonotic diseases — illnesses that can be transferred from animals to people, said Homeland Security spokesman John Verrico.
The existing Plum Island lab does not have the capacity to study those types of diseases, Mr. Verrico said.
Additionally, Homeland Security wants to locate the research facility closer to veterinary schools and livestock, so samples can be received and processed faster, he said.
Meanwhile, elected leaders have taken issue with the the sale and taken steps to prevent development at the land.
Last month, Congressman Tim Bishop (D- Southampton) introduced “Save, don’t sell Plum Island,” a bill designed to overturn the 2008 congressional mandate for the federal government to sell the island.
Meanwhile, Southold Town approved new zoning laws Tuesday that would prevent any significant development of the island.
The record of decision comes two months after the General Services Administration released is final environmental study that suggested up to 500 homes could be built on the island.
The study had environmental groups up in arms, pointing to several holes in the document, including citing the discovery of mammoth bones on the island that were later found to be discovered on Plum Island, Mass., not New York.
The General Services Administration and Homeland Security issued a joint statement saying the agencies issued the record of decision after considering “all the factors discovered and analyzed” during the National Environmental Policy Act process.
Mr. Verrico said there is no estimate of what the 840-acre island could fetch at auction, but said the sale was at least five years away.
