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The town of East Hempstead, New York has returned a $165,000 federal grant because they didn’t have the necessary permits to install a dock as the first stage of the restoration of the endangered Stepping Stones Lighthouse, which sits out in the water in western Long Island Sound.
The town has owned the lighthouse since 2014, when they accepted it from the federal government, with the understanding and agreement that they would save and restore the lighthouse. However, nothing has been done since then, and the lighthouse is now in deplorable condition.
The town refuses to use any taxpayer money to restore the lighthouse, even though they agreed to do so when they formed a public and private partnership in 2014 to restore the structure. However, the town has gone through several administrations since then, that included all political parties.
Local preservationists hope that the federal government will revoke the deed to the lighthouse and award it to someone who would be willing to restore and save the 1877 lighthouse that was automated in 1967.
In the meantime, the lighthouse continues to crumble, which is why we have added it to the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List of Endangered Lighthouses.
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