Jones Introduces Bill to Transfer Mattamuskeet Lodge to State

JONES INTRODUCES BILL TO TRANSFER MATTAMUSKEET LODGE TO STATE

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Third District Representative Walter B. Jones introduced H. R. 5490, the Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge Preservation Act. The legislation would require the conveyance of Mattamuskeet Lodge and surrounding property to the state of North Carolina. The transfer would permit the State to use the property as a public facility dedicated to the conservation of the natural and cultural resources of North Carolina.

"As we have seen all too often, the federal government cannot always afford to take care of the property under its jurisdiction," Congressman Jones said. "Because the federal government has been unable to devote the several million dollars that will be required to restore the Mattamuskeet Lodge, transfer to state ownership is the right action for the future of the Lodge and for the people of Hyde County."

"I wish to personally thank State Senator Marc Basnight and his staff for working with me and my staff to develop this legislation," Jones said. "I am also grateful to those at the Department of the Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service for their work in facilitating these efforts."

"The Mattamuskeet Lodge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is intrinsic to the cultural heritage of Hyde County and deserves better than neglect by the federal government," Jones said. "The state of North Carolina will be a better steward of this historical treasure."

http://jones.house.gov/html/release.cfm?id=406