[Senate Report 109-179]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 286
109th Congress Report
SENATE
1st Session 109-179
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COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005
_______
November 15, 2005.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Inhofe, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[to accompany S. 1869]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred a bill (S. 1869) to reauthorize the Coastal Barrier
Resources Act, and for other purposes, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and
recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) of 1982
established the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS),
comprised of undeveloped coastal barriers along the Atlantic,
Gulf, and Great Lakes coasts. The law encourages the
conservation of hurricane prone, biologically rich coastal
barriers by restricting Federal expenditures that encourage
development, such as Federal flood insurance through the
National Flood Insurance Program. CBRA is a free-market
approach to conservation. These areas can be developed, but
Federal taxpayers do not underwrite the investments.
Approximately 3.1 million acres of land and associated aquatic
habitat are part of the CBRS. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) maintains the repository for CBRA maps
enacted by Congress that depict the CBRS. The Service also
advises Federal agencies, landowners, and Congress regarding
whether properties are in or out of the CBRS, and what kind of
Federal expenditures are allowed in the CBRS.
Three important goals of CBRA are to (1) minimize the loss
of human life by discouraging development in high risk areas;
(2) reduce wasteful expenditure of Federal resources; and (3)
protect the natural resources associated with coastal barriers.
In 1990, Congress enacted the Coastal Barrier Improvement
Act (CBIA) to reauthorize CBRA and to expand the CBRS by adding
new system units in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
the Great Lakes, and to enlarge some previously designated
units along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The CBIA also
designated a new category of lands called ``otherwise protected
areas'' (OPAs). OPAs are based on areas established under
Federal, State, or local law, or held by a qualified
organization, primarily for wildlife refuge, sanctuary,
recreational, or natural resource conservation purposes. The
only Federal spending prohibition within OPAs is Federal flood
insurance.
In 2000, Congress enacted the Coastal Barrier Resources
Reauthorization Act, naming the CBRS after the late Senator
John H. Chafee (R-RI), former Chairman of the Committee on
Environment and Public Works and author of the 1982 Act
establishing CBRA. This bill reauthorized CBRA through fiscal
year 2005 and directed the Service to complete a Digital
Mapping Pilot Project that includes digitally produced draft
maps for up to 75 CBRS areas and a report to Congress that
describes the feasibility and costs for completing digital maps
for all CBRS areas. The Service is now in the process of
completing the pilot project. The 2000 Act also directed the
Service to conduct an economic assessment of the effects of
CBRA. The assessment conducted in 2002 estimated how much money
CBRA has saved taxpayers by restricting Federal spending for
roads, wastewater systems, potable water supply, and disaster
relief. The assessment estimated that from 1983-2010, CBRA will
have saved American taxpayers approximately $1.3 billion.
Objectives of the Legislation
The purpose of S. 1869 is to reauthorize the Coastal
Barrier Resources Act through fiscal year 2010. The bill also
provides for the finalization of the Digital Mapping Pilot
Project established in the 2000 Act and directs the digitizing
of all remaining CBRS area maps.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section provides that this Act may be cited as the
``Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 2005''.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
This section provides definitions for terms relevant to the
Act.
Sec. 3. Digital Mapping Pilot Project Finalization.
This section provides for the finalization by the end of
fiscal year 2007 of the digital mapping pilot project created
by the Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 2000
(P.L. 106-514).
Sec. 4. Digital Mapping Project for the Remaining John H. Chafee
Coastal Barrier Resources System Units and Otherwise Protected
Areas.
This section authorizes $1 million for each of fiscal years
2006 through 2010 for the digitizing of all remaining maps of
CBRS units and OPAs not already digitized under the pilot
project.
Sec. 5. Authorization of Appropriations.
This section amends Section 10 of the Coastal Barrier
Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3510) by changing the dates from
``2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005'' to ``2006 through 2010''.
Legislative History
On October 17, 2005, Senator Inhofe introduced S. 1869,
which was cosponsored by Senator Jeffords and Senator Chafee.
The bill was received, read twice and referred to the Senate
Committee on Environment and Public Works. The committee met on
October 26, 2005 to consider the bill. S. 1869 was ordered
favorably reported, without amendment, by voice vote.
Hearings
No committee hearings were held on S. 1869.
Rollcall Votes
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 1869 on October 26, 2005. The bill was ordered
favorably reported by voice vote. No roll call votes were
taken.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee finds that S. 1869
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 finds that S. 1869 would not
impose Federal intergovernmental unfunded mandates on State,
local, or tribal governments.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
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S. 1869, Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 2005, As
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and
Public Works on October 26, 2005
Summary
S. 1869 would authorize appropriations for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to carry out the coastal barrier
resources program. Assuming appropriation of the amounts
authorized by the bill, CBO estimates that the USFWS would
spend $16 million over the 2006-2010 period. Enacting S. 1869
would not affect direct spending or revenues.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
and would impose no costs on State, local, or tribal
governments.
Estimated Cost to the Federal Government
S. 1869 would authorize the appropriation of $2 million for
each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 to the USFWS for mapping
the coastal barrier resources system. (Authorizations for the
program expired at the end of fiscal year 2005.) The bill also
would authorize appropriations of $500,000 a year for 2006 and
2007 to complete an existing pilot project on digital mapping
and $1 million a year through 2010 to create digital versions
of all maps of the coastal barrier system.
The estimated budgetary impact of S. 1869 is shown in the
following table. The costs of this legislation fall within
budget function 300 (natural resources and environment). For
this estimate, CBO assumes that the entire amounts authorized
by the bill will be appropriated for each fiscal year.
Estimated outlays are based on historical spending patterns for
this program.
By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO
APPROPRIATION\1\
Authorization Level............. 4 4 3 3 3
Estimated Outlays............... 4 4 3 3 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Some or all of the authorized spending for 2006 could come from funds
already provided in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-54).
Intergovernmental and Private-Sector Impact
S. 1869 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in UMRA and would impose no costs on State,
local, or tribal governments.
Estimate Prepared By: Federal Costs: Deborah Reis; Impact
on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Marjorie Miller;
Impact on the Private Sector: Craig Cammarata.
Estimate Approved By: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
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[16 U.S.C. 3510]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 55--COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES
Sec. 3510. Authorization of appropriations.--There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out
this chapter $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years [2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, and 2005] 2006 through 2010.
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