California parks see the light.

In a rare occurrence, and one that will reoccur in the near future, California state parks will assume control of the Point Sur Lighthouse at Point Sur National Historic Park. In late April, U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton transferred titleship to the state park department from the U.S. Coast Guard. More lighthouse transfers are expected on the West Coast, including those in Washington and Hawaii.

According to the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2000, about 300 lighthouses are available for transfer. Applicable candidates to accept the lighthouses at no cost include federal agencies, state and local governments, non-profit corporations and community organizations. It is Norton's job to decide who gets the historic buildings.

For California, it will partner with the private non-profit Central Coast Lighthouse Keepers, where more than $2 million has already been invested in the maintenance and restoration of the Point Sur Lighthouse.

"In this case, California State Parks and its non-profit partner certainly have proven to be the best possible stewards of Point Sur," Secretary Norton said. "The partnership between the private and public sectors that is protecting Point Sur Light Station is a model for the nation during Earth Week. At Point Sur, we have seen the type of care that our lighthouses need."

Other lighthouses transferred include Pigeon Point Light Station in San Mateo County, California, which was given in late June to the California Department of Parks and Recreation; West Point Light State in Seattle, Wash., was transferred to the city of Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation; and the Molokai Lighthouse in Molokai, Hawaii, will be transferred to the National Park Service.