Requires the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to preserve and maintain state historic sites that are closed for more than a month

1 Co-sponsor

• Kevin S. Parker

BILL NUMBER:S2393

Title of bill

An act to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in relation to the maintenance and preservation of state historic sites

Purpose or general idea of the bill

To ensure that the state's historic sites and their associated collections are cared for according to best practices during a period of extended public closure

Summary of provisions

The parks, recreation and historical preservation law is amended by adding a new section 14.11 which will outline a series of best practices that must be followed should any, of the state's historic sites be closed for longer than 6 months. The bill explains that state historic sites, as nationally recognized historic treasures, shall be subject to the highest standards of care, custody and control to assure their preservation for future generations. During the process of determining the viability of the office maintaining a historic site open to the public, the commissioner shall produce a written outline of alternative actions that include, but are not limited to, the establishment of a non-profit group that would contract with the office to maintain the historic site following the agency's established criteria. The written report shall also include an economic impact statement on any proposed closing of the site for a period of longer than 6 months. The written outline and economic impact statement shall be made available to the public as well as to the Governor and both houses of the legislature. Following publication of the outline and impact statement, a public comment period of no less than 30 days shall be implemented along with at least one public hearing on the proposed actions, If both the commissioner and the state board for historic preservation determine, after public comment, that a state historic site shall be closed to the public and not fully maintained for a period to exceed the normal seasonal limit or 6 months, the commissioner shall adhere to the standards of the united states Secretary of the Interior for the mothballing of historic buildings. The Secretary of the Interior's standards for the mothballing of historic buildings are the established and acknowledged standards for historic site and building preservation and focus on the steps needed to properly deactivate a historic property for an extended period of time. The standards require the appointment of a preservation specialist to assess the specific needs of the structure and to develop an effective mothballing program.

Justification

The legislature has found that the state has long acted on the recognition that the historical, archeological, architectural

and cultural heritage of the state as represented in state historic sites are among the most important environmental assets of the state and should be carefully maintained and preserved for future generations.

Beginning in 1850 at Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, which is the nation's first publicly acquired historic site, the state has invested millions of dollars in the acquisition, preservation, and public accessibility of 35 nationally recognized historic sites. Closing such sites for any extended amount of time can and will put into peril the very existence of the site itself and, without proper techniques implemented, will lead to potentially devastating damage.

Legislative history

2009-10: Senate - Reported and Committed to Finance Assembly - Amended and Recommitted to Ways & Means

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.