[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3688-S3689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARPER (for himself and Mr. Coons):
  S. 1395. A bill to revise the boundaries of certain John H. Chafee 
Coastal

[[Page S3689]]

Barrier Resources System units in Delaware; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to 
adjust the boundary of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, CBRA, map 
unit for North Bethany Beach, Delaware. I am pleased to be working in 
this effort with the junior Senator from Delaware, Mr. Coons, who joins 
me as an original cosponsor.
  This map change implements a recommendation made by the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service. The Service discovered during its recent digital 
mapping pilot project that a portion of the North Bethany Beach unit 
encompassing the South Shore Marina development was included by mistake 
when the map was created in 1990. The Fish and Wildlife released a 
report to Congress in November of 2016 on the results of the mapping 
pilot project required by the 2006 Coastal Barrier Resources 
Reauthorization Act (PL 109-226). Delaware was part of the pilot 
project, and the report contains the recommendation for this map 
change.
  This map change can occur only through an act of Congress.
  CBRA is a map-based law enacted in 1982 recognizing that certain 
actions and programs of the Federal Government subsidize and encourage 
development on coastal barriers. This coastal building contributes to 
the loss of natural resources and threatens human life, health and 
property. The CBRA system currently contains 859 geographic units in 23 
States and territories along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, 
U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico coasts. The CBRA units are 
depicted on a set of maps that is maintained by the Secretary of the 
Interior through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  While CBRA does not prohibit or regulate development, it removes the 
Federal incentives to build on these undeveloped, unstable and 
environmentally sensitive areas. CBRA seeks to save taxpayers' money, 
keep people out of harm's way, and conserve natural resources by 
restricting most new Federal expenditures and financial assistance 
(e.g., beach nourishment, disaster assistance, and flood insurance) in 
areas designated within the CBRA system. That is why Mr. President, it 
is important to make sure these maps are accurate and that they do not 
include previously developed property. This bill will achieve that 
objective for the North Bethany Beach area.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1395

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

     SECTION 1. REPLACEMENT OF JOHN H. CHAFEE COASTAL BARRIER 
                   RESOURCES SYSTEM MAP.

       (a) In General.--The map subtitled ``Delaware Seashore Unit 
     DE-07P, North Bethany Beach Unit H01'' and dated December 6, 
     2013, that is included in the set of maps entitled ``Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System'' referred to in section 4(a) of the 
     Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(a)) and 
     relating to certain John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources 
     System units in the State of Delaware, is replaced by the map 
     entitled ``Delaware Seashore Unit DE-07/DE-07P, North Bethany 
     Beach Unit H01'' and dated March 16, 2016.
       (b) Availability.--The Secretary of the Interior shall keep 
     the replacement map 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)).
                                 ______