Lighthouse, but They Can Be Heavy on Upkeep

Want a lighthouse? The Interior Department has a deal for you. It’s trying to get rid of 301 of them.

The Coast Guard, which has automated the nation’s coastal lighting system, is willing to give them away to anybody who’ll offer them a good home. There are two catches: Government and nonprofit groups have first dibs; and lighthouses are extremely expensive to keep up.

Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton will announce next week the first six being turned over.

Anyone taking on a lighthouse can expect to spend millions of dollars. It must be maintained according to strict federal standards, and the lighthouse reverts to federal ownership if it is not properly kept up.