19–010 

Calendar No. 304 

112TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 112–138 

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 

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 inVerDate Mar 15 2010 08:49 Jan 27, 2012 Jkt 019010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR138.XXX SR138

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cluded 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.’’ 


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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, payas-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. 


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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. 

Æ 


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