[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 44 (Friday, March 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E435-E436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REAUTHORIZING THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 14, 2008

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, nearly half of the population of the 
United States lives along our country's 95,331 miles of ocean and Great 
Lakes coastline. The 153 million people who live and work in the 
coastal zone--roughly 11 percent of the total U.S. land area--
contribute tens of billions of dollars to our national economy. For 
example, roughly $700 billion in cargo and merchandise moves through 
our country's ports on an annual basis.
  While the country's coastal zone remains intrinsically linked to our 
entire economy, coastal regions are also home to a variety of 
incredibly valuable natural resources, such as commercial fisheries, 
coral reefs, coastal estuaries and wetlands, mineral resources, and 
vital fish and wildlife habitat. Moreover, at a time when our economy 
and the environment are both in need of attention, and when cooperation 
between the Federal government and the States and territories has never 
been more essential to address future challenges created by a changing 
climate, it is important for the Congress to reauthorize the Coastal 
Zone Management Act (CZMA). Reauthorization of this Act re-emphasizes 
the importance of maintaining a balanced management approach in this 
critical geographic area.
  The initial passage in 1972 of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
championed an innovative and forward-thinking strategy to address the 
complexity of issues, the needs of individual States and territories, 
and the national interest to ensure the long-term, sensible management 
of the country's entire coastal zone. The Act was designed as a 
voluntary federal-state partnership. States and territories receive 
cost sharing grants to develop and subsequently implement State 
management programs that comply with broad Federal policies. For 
example, State and territorial coastal zone management programs 
encourage comprehensive planning to enable both the protection and 
development of coastal lands where possible. State and territorial 
coastal programs also strive to restore and enhance coastal resources, 
perpetuate water-dependent uses and preserve coastal public access.
  States and territories also gained an equal authority, known 
generally as ``Federal Consistency'' to review all Federal agency 
activities or Federally-permitted activities for the

[[Page E436]]

coastal zone to ensure compatibility with Federally-approved State or 
territory coastal programs and policies. While at times controversial, 
consistency reviews emerged as a remarkably successful tool in 
facilitating cooperation between the coastal states and territories and 
the Federal agencies. Although participation in the Coastal 
Zone Management program is voluntary, 34 out of 35 eligible coastal 
States and territories are now fully participating in the program, and 
collectively, 99 percent of U.S. coastlines fall under the Act's 
authority.

  The territory I represent, Guam, proudly participates in the coastal 
zone management program. Because Guam is an island, our entire land 
area is considered a coastal zone. Important and unique management 
issues regarding development frequently arise for our community, 
including impacts on cultural and historic resource preservation, water 
quality, and the integrity of coral reef ecosystems and our watershed 
habitat. For example, under the Guam Coastal Management Program, 
analysis of damages from coastal hazards led to the development of an 
Environmental Emergency Response Plan that our community relies upon in 
preparing for and responding to typhoons. This Plan allowed our 
community to successfully respond to coastal and environmental 
challenges arising from recent typhoons that struck our island, 
including Typhoon Chata'an in July 2002 and Super Typhoon Pongsona in 
December 2002. This plan is but one example from many that demonstrate 
the practical and positive impact of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
for Guam.
  Since the Act's enactment in 1972, Congress has amended it on various 
occasions in order to address changing circumstances and needs. Among 
such refinements was the establishment of a system of National 
Estuarine Research Reserves, authorization of the Enhancement Grant 
Program to help States and the territories address new and emerging 
issues, and the establishment of the Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution 
Control Program to address the present and growing threat to coastal 
waters caused by polluted run-off.
  Today, our country is presented with coastal zone challenges that 
were unforeseen and not addressed in previous reauthorizations of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act. These challenges include climate change, 
aquatic nuisance species, increased risk exposure to catastrophic 
storms and natural hazards, and the preservation of open space in the 
midst of an expanding human footprint. Many of these challenges were 
identified by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy in 2004 and the Pew 
Oceans Commission in 2003. In addition, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Coastal States Organization 
(CSO) initiated in 2007 a joint comprehensive analysis of the Act to 
see if and how it might be amended to better address the challenges of 
the future. I believe it is important to reauthorize this Act with 
input from the States and territories, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, and scientists and coastal community 
stakeholders. Any reauthorization of the Act should be oriented toward 
improving our ability to better prepare for and respond to future 
challenges impacting the health and integrity of the ecosystems within 
our country's coastal zones.
  It is for these reasons that I introduced H.R. 5451, the Coastal Zone 
Reauthorization Act of 2008, to reauthorize and increase appropriations 
to implement the Coastal Zone Management Act. I was joined in doing so 
by other members of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans. 
Together we are committed to addressing this reauthorization 
opportunity and objective in a bipartisan fashion. On February 28, 
2008, the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans convened for a 
hearing on H.R. 5451 and received testimony from the Administration and 
stakeholders. I fully recognize that this bill is a placeholder and a 
starting point for a much more substantive dialogue as we begin to 
address the new realities facing our country's coastal zone. I hope my 
colleagues will join us in this effort to reauthorize this landmark 
environmental law, and to ensure that we leave for our children and 
grandchildren a coastal zone that is vibrant, healthy and welcoming to 
all.

                          ____________________