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1 [1] (May 31, 2018)

handle is hein.crs/govzci0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ~*Congressional Research Service fon ithe aive deaesirce 1 A The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) In 1982, Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA; P.L. 97-348), which established the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (System). Congress aimed to minimize the loss of human life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and the damage to fish, wildlife, and other natural resources associated with coastal barriers. CBRA was enacted to remove federal financial assistance incentives for development on undeveloped coastal barriers, in recognition of potential problems associated with developing coastal areas. CBRA does not prohibit development within System areas; therefore, development may still occur using private and nonfederal funds. The System is currently composed of parts of coastal areas along the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. CBRA has been reauthorized and legislatively modified numerous times, most recently in 2006 (16 U.S.C. §§3501- 35 10). CBRA may receive increasing attention from Congress due to the effects of recent coastal storms and subsequent federal expenditures. Coastal areas are of interest for development because of their aesthetic and recreational significance and resulting high taxable land values. However, due to the dynamic nature of these systems, development on coastal barriers and along the coast in general may be at a relatively high risk of storm damage and long-term erosion. Additionally, development often disrupts the natural movement of sandy materials that maintain the protective nature of the shoreline and may harm fish and wildlife habitat. Stakeholders have questioned whether a modified CBRA would still meet its original congressional intent of a nonregulatory approach to development. Some stakeholders have shown interest in the expansion or reduction of the System, the coordination of state and federal activities in coastal areas, and the appropriate role for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This In Focus provides background information about CBRA and the System and briefly describes selected possible issues for Congress. Characteristics of Coastal Barriers Coastal barriers are low-lying, shifting landforms in the form of peninsulas/spits, islands, bay barriers, and other formations and associated aquatic habitats (e.g., marsh, wetlands, inlets) subject to wave, tidal, and wind energies (Figure 1). Coastal barriers and associated areas provide diverse habitats for fish and wildlife and protect the landward natural and built environments from the impacts of coastal storms and hurricanes. Coastal Barrier Resources System Under CBRA, the Secretary of the Interior and FWS are responsible for maintaining and updating official System maps, consulting with federal agencies regarding Updated May 31, 2018 expenditures in the System, and making recommendations to Congress about potential changes to the System. The System is composed of typical coastal barriers, as well as nonbarrier areas along the coast that share similar qualities but are not backed by aquatic features. The System has two types of areas: system units and otherwise protected areas (OPAs; Figure 1). System units mostly consist of private land that was relatively undeveloped (e.g., housing density of less than one unit per five acres) at the time of designation to the System. Beginning in 1990, FWS began designating OPAs, which mostly consist of public land and are defined as undeveloped coastal barriers within the boundaries of an area established under Federal, State, or local law, or held by a qualified organization, primarily for wildlife refuge, sanctuary, recreational, or natural resource conservation purposes (16 U.S.C. §3503). Figure I. Examples of Coastal Features and Types of System Areas Along the Eastern Shore of Virginia Coastal Barrier Resources System Units Otherwise Protected Area System Unit Source: CRS using ESRI and FWS data. Notes: FWS defines the seaward side of a System area on a coastal barrier by the 30 foot (ft) bathymetric contour and in large coastal embayments and the Great Lakes by whichever is closer: the 20 ft bathymetric contour or a line one mile seaward of the shoreline. https:/crsreports.congress.go,

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