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What is CBRA? • The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) was enacted in 1982 (P.L. 97-348). CBRA designated various undeveloped coastal barriers, which were illustrated by a set of maps adopted by law, to be included in the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). The law restricts most Federal expenditures and financial assistance that tend to encourage development, including Federal flood insurance, in the CBRS. Three important goals of CBRA are to: • (1) minimize loss of human life by discouraging development in high risk areas; • (2) reduce wasteful expenditure of Federal resources; and • (3) protect the natural resources associated with coastal barriers. • The Coastal Barrier Improvement Act was passed in 1990 (P.L. 101-591) and designated a new category of lands called “otherwise protected areas” (OPAs). OPAs are based on areas established under Federal, state, or local law, or held by a qualified organization, primarily for wildlife refuge, sanctuary, recreational, or natural resource conservation purposes. The only Federal spending prohibition within OPAs is Federal flood insurance. • The CBRS currently includes 585 System units, which comprise nearly 1.3 million acresof land and associated aquatic habitat. There are also 271 OPAs that include an additional 1.8 million acres of land and associated aquatic habitat.
What Can and Can’t You Do in the CBRS? • Can’t use Federal funding • construction or purchase of any structure, facility, or related infrastructure; • construction or purchase of any road, airport, boat landing facility, or other facility on, or bridge or causeway to, any CBRS unit; • any project to prevent the erosion of, or to otherwise stabilize, any inlet, shoreline, or inshore area for the purpose of encouraging development; and • the issuance of flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 for any new construction or substantially improved property. • Can but only with USF&WS permission • the exploration, extraction, or transportation of energy resources that can be carried out only on, in, or adjacent to a coastal water area; • the maintenance or construction of improvements of existing Federal navigation channels and related structures; • the maintenance, replacement, reconstruction, or repair, but not the expansion, of publicly owned or operated roads, structures, or facilities that are essential links in a larger network or system; • military activities essential to national security; and • assistance for emergency operations essential to saving of lives and protecting property.
“CBRRA” – Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 2000 (and 2006) • P.L. 106-514 and P.L. 109-226 • Feasibility effort to determine cost & effort associated with changing old hard copy maps to digital format. • Feasibility effort is in the form of a Pilot Projectthat evaluates a max. of 75 system units, 1/3 of which must be OPAs. Note – final tally was 60 system units (20 of which were OPA). • Report to Congress must include; (A) cooperative agreements to complete mapping of all units, (B) assessment of existing data, (C) identification of data needs, (D) extent of differences the boundary has on electronic version than hard copy, and (E) dollar amount required to digitally map all units. • Public comment must be taken in consideration and summarized, in addition to consultation with State Governors. • 2006 P.L. authorized digitization effort of all system units – the reports under this provision can include recommendations for expansion.
Pilot Projects NC-01 NC-05P NC-06P L05 L06 L07 L08 L09 Issues Expansion Mapping
(1) New CBRA Unit (NC-06). (2) Largest gain in the entire Pilot Study (8,162.5 acres) – 37% of National / 94% of State. (3) Huge implications for dredging, nourishment, bridge, and water front projects.
Results of Pilot Study in North Carolina NC-05P Roosevelt Natural Area • Changes proposed to align more precisely with the center of the channel in Bogue Sound.
