In a significant shift from past use, the Department of the Interior has inked a new 10-year lease agreement with Williams Transco for space at Floyd Bennett Field, a historic New York site, as reported yesterday. The deal facilitates the continuance of an energy metering and regulating station within the Gateway National Recreation Area.
"Today, we are reversing that mismanagement by restoring the site to a purpose that strengthens our energy infrastructure, benefits the American people and respects the integrity of our national parks," explained Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the plan sees the return of the area to energy purposes after a previous, brief stint as a migrant shelter under the Biden administration, where the park's use was met with backlash from both the community and political leaders for being an improper employment of public lands, according to Department of the Interior.
The Congress passed a law, namely H.R. 5283 in November 2023, in an attempt to prevent any recurrence of such use of national park space, and this new lease with Williams Transco seems to align with the current government's desire to reinforce energy infrastructure, as outlined on the official Department of the Interior website.
The previous collaboration between Williams Transco and the National Park Service goes back to 2013, where the former invested $22 million to restore Hangars 1 and 2 of Floyd Bennett Field, maintaining their historic facade while updating their functionality to serve as modern energy infrastructure, the administration sees this relationship as pivotal in delivering consistent energy to New York City and its locals, looking forward to support both current needs and future needs and challenges energy-wise.
"This lease agreement is a model for how we can honor our past, secure our future and pursue Energy Dominance," added Burgum, emphasizing the notion that public lands should serve the national interest rather than temporary social policy band-aids, according to Department of the Interior. This lease also ensures that ongoing revenue will continue to back the park's maintenance and enhancements, thus preserving the site's historic and national significance.
