[Senate Report 112-138]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 304
112th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 112-138
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TO REVISE THE BOUNDARIES OF JOHN H. CHAFEE COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES
SYSTEM SACHUEST POINT UNIT RI-04P, EASTON BEACH RI-05P, ALMY POND UNIT
RI-06, AND HAZARDS BEACH UNIT RI-07 IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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January 26, 2012.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mrs. Boxer, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 1296]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 1296) to revise the boundaries of John H.
Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-
04P, Easton Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and
Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in the State of Rhode Island, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND
S. 1296 revises the boundaries of the John H. Chafee
Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) Sachuest Point Unit RI-
04P, Easton Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and
Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in the State of Rhode Island.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) received a request
for technical review of CBRS Unit RI-05P in 2004. When the
Service finds a technical mapping error that warrants a change
in one part of a CBRS map, it reviews all adjacent areas on the
map to ensure that the entire map is accurate. Following the
review of unit RI-05P and adjacent areas, the FWS proposed an
updated map for the four CBRS units that removes lands that
were inappropriately included within the CBRS by the Coastal
Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 and adds lands appropriate for
inclusion.
The revised map includes portions of the Sachuest Point
National Wildlife Refuge, the Norman Bird Sanctuary, and some
municipal lands. The revised map removes 22 acres and adds
approximately 67 acres to the CBRS for a net gain of 45 acres
of uplands and associated aquatic habitat. Eleven of the
additional acres are a parcel of land that the Audubon Society
of Rhode Island has voluntarily requested be added to the CBRS
as a System unit. Eight built structures incorrectly included
are removed from the CBRS and no additional structures are
added.
OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION
To revise the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier
Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-04P, Easton Beach Unit
RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in
the State of Rhode Island.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Replacement of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources
System map
Section 1 revises the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal
Barrier Resources System and establishes an updated map for the
following units in the State of Rhode Island; Sachuest Point
Unit RI-04P, Easton Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06,
and Hazards Beach Unit RI-07.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
S. 1296 was introduced on June 29, 2011 by Senator Sheldon
Whitehouse (D-RI) with one cosponsor. The bill was referred to
the Committee on Environment and Public Works. On December 8,
2011, the full Environment and Public Works Committee met to
consider the bill. The bill was ordered reported favorably
without amendment.
ROLLCALL VOTES
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 1296 on December 8, 2011. The bill was ordered
favorably reported by voice vote.
REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 1296
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
MANDATES ASSESSMENT
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the committee noted that the Congressional
Budget Office has found, ``S. 1296 contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on
state, local, or tribal governments.''
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
December 20, 2011.
Hon. Barbara Boxer,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1296, a bill to
revise the boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier
Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-04P, Easton Beach Unit
RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in
the state of Rhode Island.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeff LaFave.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
S. 1296--A bill to revise the boundaries of the John H. Chafee Coastal
Barrier Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-04P, Easton
Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and Hazards Beach Unit
RI-07 in the state of Rhode Island
S. 1296 would update a map of the Coastal Barrier Resources
System (CBRS) near Newport, Rhode Island. Based on information
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, CBO estimates that
implementing the legislation would have no significant impact
on the federal budget. S. 1296 could affect direct spending;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, we estimate
that any net change in direct spending would be negligible over
the 2012-2021 period. Enacting the bill would not affect
revenues.
The bill would revise CBRS maps for several units within
the system and, on net, add 45 acres of land to the CBRS. The
modified maps would exclude certain private acreage, which
would enable owners of several structures to purchase federal
flood insurance. CBO estimates that, relative to current law,
implementing S. 1296 could increase premium collections of the
National Flood Insurance Fund by less than $50,000 annually.
Such collections would be offset by new mandatory spending for
underwriting and administrative expenses and new flood
insurance claims over the 2012-2021 period.
S. 1296 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
On December 7, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for
H.R. 2027, a bill to revise the boundaries of the John H.
Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-
04P, Easton Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and
Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in Rhode Island, as ordered reported
by the House Committee on Natural Resources on November 17,
2011. The two bills are similar, and their estimated costs are
the same.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeff LaFave. The
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate
requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made
by the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no
changes to existing law.