[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 163 (Wednesday, November 17, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H12141-H12142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CLARIFYING COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM BOUNDARIES

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to 
move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1398) to clarify 
certain boundaries on maps relating to the Coastal Barrier Resources 
System.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1398

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

     SECTION 1. REPLACEMENT OF COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM 
                   MAPS.

       (a) In General.--The 7 maps described in subsection (b) are 
     replaced by 14 maps entitled ``Dare County, North Carolina, 
     Coastal Barrier Resources System, Cape Hatteras Unit NC-03P'' 
     or ``Dare County, North Carolina, Coastal Barrier Resources 
     System, Cape Hatteras Unit NC-03P, Hatteras Island Unit L03'' 
     and dated October 18, 1999.
       (b) Description of Maps.--The maps described in this 
     subsection are the 7 maps that--

[[Page H12142]]

       (1) relate to the portions of Cape Hatteras Unit NC-03P and 
     Hatteras Island Unit L03 that are located in Dare County, 
     North Carolina; and
       (2) are included in a set of maps entitled ``Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System'', dated October 24, 1990, and 
     referred to in section 4(a) of the Coastal Barrier Resources 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(a)).
       (c) Availability.--The Secretary of the Interior shall keep 
     the maps referred to in subsection (a) on file and available 
     for inspection in accordance with section 4(b) of the Coastal 
     Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(b)).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
George Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation is identical to legislation that I 
introduced earlier this year, which the House passed last month.
  This legislation simply corrects a mapping error that currently 
excludes Dare County residents from qualifying for Federal flood 
insurance under the Coastal Barrier Research Act.
  Congress adopted the Coastal Barrier Research System in the 1980s to 
protect the coast from future development. When the North Carolina 
areas were added to the system, it was Congress' intent for the line to 
be adjacent to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore boundary, thus 
allowing certain privately owned structures to remain eligible for 
flood insurance.

                              {time}  1230

  Unfortunately, the National Park Service incorrectly identified the 
boundary, which resulted in inaccurate maps. This error incorrectly 
puts approximately 200 landowners in harm's way, especially during 
hurricane season.
  With Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd recently wreaking havoc on the Outer 
Banks of Eastern North Carolina, this legislation is a justified step 
forward in providing the necessary assistance to the landowners in Dare 
County. Currently, these residents have been left unprotected by the 
inability of the Federal Government to appropriately manage the Coastal 
Barrier Resource System.
  With the assistance of Senator Helms, the Committee on Resources, and 
the Fish and Wildlife Service, we have been able to work towards a 
solution that all sides can agree to. With the help of the gentleman 
from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton), 
we were able to pass this legislation through the House earlier this 
year. Passing Senate 1398 today will complete the work we all started a 
year ago.
  The importance of passing this legislation could not be more timely 
after one of the worst hurricane seasons in recent history. I would 
hope and encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to 
revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, let me say at the 
outset that I very much appreciate the cooperation of the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Jones) and their staffs for working with us to shape this legislation.
  I am satisfied that the boundary changes authorized in this bill are 
legitimate technical corrections which will resolve the past mapping 
errors and boundary discrepancies, and I urge the passage of this 
legislation.
  The Coastal Barrier Resources System is critical to the long-term 
protection of the Nation's coastal resources, and we must remain 
vigilant to protect it from unwarranted encroachment.
  All this bill would do is substitute a final series of revised maps 
to replace an earlier series already approved by the House when it 
passed H.R. 1431 on September 21. This bill would authorize the final 
agreed upon maps.
  Let me say from the start, I very much appreciate the cooperation of 
Mr. Saxton and his staff in working with the minority in shaping this 
legislation. I am satisfied that the boundary changes authorized in 
this bill are legitimate technical corrections which would resolve past 
mapping errors and boundary discrepancies.
  Moreover, we have been assured by both the Fish and Wildlife Service 
and the National Park Service that these new boundaries accurately 
depict the boundaries of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Hopefully 
this will eliminate any future confusion regarding this matter.
  We also have made sure that none of the coastal barrier units labeled 
as LO3 have been changed in any way to reduce their spatial areas. And 
importantly, we have also added approximately 2,300 acres of additional 
coastal barrier lands to the ``otherwise protected area'' labeled as 
NC03-P. I want to thank Mr. Saxton and the gentleman from North 
Carolina, Mr. Jones, for agreeing to this addition.
  Experience has made me necessarily cautious when it comes to 
modifying any coastal barrier boundary. But in this case, I believe we 
have gotten it right. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill, S. 1398.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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