[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 169 (Monday, October 30, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H11389-H11390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS IN COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM MAP

  Mr. TORKILDSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill, H.R. 2005, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to make 
technical corrections in maps relating to the Coastal Barrier Resources 
System.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2005

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CORRECTION TO MAP.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior shall, 
     before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, make such corrections to the map 
     described in subsection (b) as are necessary--
       (1) to move on that map the eastern boundary of the 
     excluded area covering Ocean Beach, Seaview, Ocean Bay Park, 
     and part of Point O'Woods to the western boundary of the 
     Sunken Forest Preserve; and
       (2) to ensure that on that map the depiction of areas as 
     ``otherwise protected areas'' does not include any area that 
     is owned by the Point O'Woods Association (a privately held 
     corporation under the laws of the State of New York).
       (b) Map Described.--The map described in this subsection is 
     the map that is included in a set of maps entitled ``Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System'', dated October 24, 1990, that 
     relates to the unit of the Coastal Barrier Resources System 
     entitled Fire Island Unit NY-59P.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 

[[Page H 11390]]

Massachusetts [Mr. Torkildsen] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and 
the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. 
Torkildsen].
  Mr. TORKILDSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to applaud the work of my 
colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds], who has 
announced he will not be seeking another term in this Chamber. He has 
done great work for both the environment and to advocate for the 
interests of those who make their living in the fishing industry. We 
all appreciate what he has done, and I know we are going to miss him 
here, but wish him well in his future endeavors.
  Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 2005, which makes a technical correction 
to the Coastal Barrier Resources Act by removing an incorrectly mapped 
portion of unit NY-59P from the Coastal Barrier Resources System.
  When unit NY-59P was created, a portion of privately owned land was 
incorrectly mapped as being part of an adjacent otherwise protected 
area, the Fire Island National Seashore. This 88-acre tract is owned by 
a private homeowner association, the Point O' Woods Association, and 
has never been a part of the National Seashore.
  This noncontroversial legislation is supported by both the Fire 
Island National Seashore and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I promise not to consume much time. I want to thank my 
colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts, for his very kind words. 
Perhaps now that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts totally controls the 
floor, we should call up the Boston Harbor Islands National Park. I 
would also like to ask the gentleman where he got this tie.
  Mr. TORKILDSEN. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. STUDDS. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. TORKILDSEN. My fiance picked it out.
  Mr. STUDDS. See? It is very nice.
  Mr. Speaker, everything the gentleman said, at least about this bill 
is correct. It is a thing we should do. It is precisely the kind of 
correction that is in order. We strongly support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TORKILDSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Forbes].
  (Mr. FORBES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleague, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Torkildsen], in saluting our 
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds]. 
It is a rare opportunity to salute somebody who has been such a 
champion, particularly for the fishing industry in particular, and I 
join my colleague in regret at losing a distinguished Member from this 
body at the conclusion of his term.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2005. This legislation became 
necessary, and while I certainly wholeheartedly embraced the coastal 
barrier resources systems map legislation that was enacted in 1990, 
there was a need to made this technical correction.
  In 1990, the legislation codified a map that designated open space in 
Point of Woods as covered under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 
1982, and the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990, and 
inadvertently excluded Point of Woods from the national flood insurance 
program and restricted Federal development assistance.
  The Coastal Barrier Resources Act was designed to prevent the 
development of undeveloped segments of the coastal barrier. A good act, 
as I have previously stated is designed: The Point of Woods community 
of 160 acres, with 140 homes, a hotel, a store, a firehouse, a church, 
community activity buildings, and tennis courts. The area affected by 
the legislation is 80 acres, with 22 houses and plots under 
development.
  In 1991, 1992, and 1993 Fire Island suffered brutal damage in three 
major east coastal storms. These storms destroyed many homes on Fire 
Island, but because of good planning, Point of Woods only lost two 
homes. For many years Point of Woods has discouraged beach front home 
construction. It has moved homes back from the ocean front when 
possible, and bulldozed sand to build dunes.
  After the storms, Mr. Speaker, Point of Woods developed a unique 
plan, together with our local town of Brookhaven and Federal flood 
administrators of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to move from 
the beach up to 17 homes and to permit rebuilding of the dunes for the 
future protection of the community.
  As they were about to relocate the homes, Point of Woods residents 
learned that half of the homes were included in the Coastal Barrier 
Improvement Act, making them ineligible for flood insurance for new 
construction or for the relocated houses.
  The result is that 30 years of thoughtful community land use planning 
will not proceed without this technical correction. Home builders and 
mortgage lenders have said that they would not offer loans for 
construction, and they would not make that opportunity available 
without flood insurance, which is prohibited under the technical 
aspects of the bill previously passed in 1990.
  Point of Woods never received notice of the mapping process, and were 
not able to make the corrections at the time the legislation passed. 
This much-needed legislation will correct the mapping error that 
designated private property on Fire Island as an otherwise protected 
area on the coastal barrier resources system map of the Fire Island 
National Seashore.
  The coastal barriers' resources system boundaries cannot be adjusted 
without congressional approval, and I appreciate the Committee on 
Resources taking up this legislation and my colleagues embracing these 
technical corrections. I urge its adoption.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong 
support of H.R. 2005, which will correct a mapping error which 
designated the private community of Point O' Woods on Fire Island as an 
``otherwise protected area'' on the Coastal Barrier Resources System 
map.
  In 1990, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act was amended and during the 
mapping, half of the Point O' Woods community was inadvertently grouped 
together with a federally owned wildlife preserve adjacent to Point O' 
Woods.
  These otherwise protected areas on this map are areas within the 
Coastal Barrier Resources System units that include national wildlife 
refuges, national parks and seashores, State parks and conservation 
lands owned by private organizations. The inclusion of the Point O' 
Woods property in otherwise protected land prohibits the issuance of 
flood insurance, which is so vital to these homeowners. It also 
restricts the availability of Federal development assistance. These 
units boundaries must be adjusted by congressional approval.
  This was an oversight by the Government that Congress seeks to 
correct and will benefit the homeowners of Point O' Woods. Though this 
particular affected area lies in New York's First Congressional 
District, I share the representation of the Fire Island with my 
colleague, Mr. Forbes, and congratulate him on his efforts to correct 
this unfortunate mistake by the Government. I urge the rest of my 
colleagues to support H.R. 2005.
  Mr. TORKILDSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Torkildsen] that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2005.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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