National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 1997

National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 1997 - Amends the National Historic Preservation Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior, in order to provide a national historic light station program, to: (1) collect and disseminate information concerning such stations; (2) foster educational programs relating to the history, practice, and contribution to society of such stations; (3) sponsor or conduct research and study into the history of such stations; (4) maintain a listing of such stations; and (5) assess the effectiveness of the program regarding the conveyance of such stations.

Directs the Secretary and the Administrator of General Services to establish a process for identifying and selecting an eligible entity to which a station could be conveyed for education, park, recreation, cultural, and historic preservation purposes.

Requires: (1) the Secretary to review all applicants for the conveyance of a station identified as excess to an agency's needs and forward to the Administrator a single approved application for such station; and (2) the Administrator to convey such station, subject to specified conditions that include a requirement that active aids to navigation continue to be operated and maintained by the United States if considered necessary by the Administrator.

Requires: (1) a station to be offered for sale in accordance with terms developed by the Administrator if no applicants are approved for conveyance; and (2) net sale proceeds to be transferred to the National Maritime Heritage Grant Program.

Requires any Federal department or agency to which a station is conveyed to maintain the station in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Secretary's Historic Preservation Standards.