October 17, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Len Butler
Len.butler@comcast.net 508-326-8541
Aquinnah, MA – On Tuesday night, October 15, the Town of Aquinnah Selectmen approved the recommendation of the Building subcommittee of the Save the Gay Head Lighthouse Committee to hire GEI Consultants of Woburn, Massachusetts to conduct the geotechnical testing on the three proposed move sites for the Gay Head Lighthouse.
The selection process was based on the following criteria: demonstration of understanding of project objectives, project staff experience project team/staff experience, project work plan and approach, similar project experience, and cost proposal projected cost.
According to Len Butler, Save the Gay Head Lighthouse Building Subcommittee Chairman, GEI Consultants is a well respected engineering firm with a great deal of experience in the geotechnical investigation of coastal subsoils. They will provide useful information about the ground stability of the three potential relocation sites, and whether or not the move paths to those sites will be able to sustain the load, to aid the committee in making an informed decision as to which is the best location for the Lighthouse to remain for generations to come. GEI Consultants was selected from a pool of eight firms that submitted proposals and were selected for their expertise and experience in similar projects.
As the lighthouse relocation process rapidly moves forward, the ownership process has been delayed due to the recent government shutdown. The Town of Aquinnah should have been in the application for ownership process now, however due to the shutdown an October 10th meeting with the General Services Administration was cancelled and now the town must wait until they reschedule that meeting involving all interested parties and the Federal agencies involved (NPS, GSA and USCG, and Massachusetts Historic Commission) to move forward. The town is yet to be notified when this meeting will be rescheduled. Over two weeks have already been lost and the timing for the application process cannot begin until the town is given approval to begin the 90 day application process, but the clock is still ticking.
The Gay Head Lighthouse, a Martha’s Vineyard treasure and one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places of 2013, currently sits 46 feet (Aug 2013) from an eroding cliff and geological experts recommend it should be moved in the next year or so or the area around it may not be stable enough to safely do so. The Save the Gay Head Lighthouse Committee is working to save this iconic structure, and working navigational beacon, which has stood at the picturesque cliffs of the western most tip of the island since 1799 and was replaced with the current brick lighthouse in 1854. The committee’s objective is to move and restore the Gay Head Lighthouse to a location which will sustain it for many generations. The fundraising goal to cover these costs is $3,000,000. To find out more, or make a donation, visit gayheadlight.org.