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[Senate Report 112-138]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                       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 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.

                                  
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