News Release

Fort Hancock Advisory Committee to Meet on June 18, 2013

Date: June 18, 2013
Contact: Pete McCarthy, [phone]

The Gateway National Recreation Area Fort Hancock 21st Century Advisory Committee will hold its next meeting Friday, June 28, 2013, at Building 22, the NJ Sea Grant Consortium, located within Fort Hancock from 9 am to 5:30 pm. 

The Committee was established to make recommendations for the reuse of over 30 historic buildings in the Fort Hancock Historic Landmark District within Gateway's Sandy Hook Unit. This meeting, like all meetings of the committee, is open to the public.

"As the Fort Hancock 21st Century Committee moves forward," observed Superintendent Linda Canzanelli, who is the designated federal officer to the committee, "we should begin to see the fruits of its labor addressing future uses of the historic district."

At this meeting, members will discuss and draft a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) to determine possible future interest at Fort Hancock.

As with all meetings of this advisory committee, public comments will be taken at a regularly scheduled time. The comment period begins at 4 pm, with commentors called upon in the order they sign up. Written comments may also be submitted to the committee in person, by mail, or by email or on the committee's blog at www.forthancock21stcentury.org/discuss/.

About the Fort Hancock 21st Century Federal Advisory Committee

The committee was formed in September 2012 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA). FACA committees are formed to provide advice to the Executive Branch of government, which includes the National Park Service. The 20 committee members, who applied to serve and where chosen by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, serve without compensation and represent a wide array of local and national leaders in government, business, recreation, and real estate, as well as experts in natural, scientific, and education resources. The committee will meet every four-to-six weeks over a two or three year term and will strive to operate by consensus. Relevant documents, background material, meeting minutes, and other useful information used by the Committee can be found at their website http://forthancock21stcentury.org. 

About Gateway National Recreation Area

Established in 1972, Gateway National Recreation Area offers more than 26,000 acres of marshes, wildlife sanctuaries recreational athletic facilities, miles of sandy beaches; indoor and outdoor classrooms; picnicking and camping areas, as well as historic structures and military installations, a lighthouse, and adjacent waters around New York Harbor. The park offers urban residents in two states a wide range of recreational opportunities year round. With more than eight million visitors a year, it is one of the top five most visited national parks in the country. For more information about Gateway's upcoming public programs, see the parks Web site at www.nps.gov/gate.