To clarify the boundaries of Coastal Barrier Resources System Cape Fear Unit NC-07P.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1663, a bill to replace certain Coastal Barrier Resources System maps relevant to Bald Head Island, North Carolina. Having worked with the U.S. House Committee on Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on making these necessary corrections to the maps pertaining to Bald Head Island, I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives will be moving forward and passing this legislation today.

Congress enacted the Coastal Barrier Resources Act in 1982 in order to address problems caused by coastal barrier development. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act restricts Federal expenditures and financial assistance, including Federal flood insurance, for development on coastal barriers.

Later, the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 added ``otherwise protected areas'' to the System. Otherwise protected areas are undeveloped coastal barriers within the boundaries of lands reserved for conservation purposes such as wildlife refuges and parks. While they were not made part of the Coastal Barrier Resources System, Congress forbade the issuance of new flood insurance or any Federal development-related assistance in otherwise protected areas.

Three years ago, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the citizens of Bald Head Island informed me that the maps of the area on the island, known as NC07P, were inaccurate. The errors in the maps deny flood insurance to certain property owners on Bald Head Island, North Carolina. These errors resulted from the problems inherent in translating lines drawn on the large-scale maps used for designations into precise, on-the-ground property lines.

However, this problem is now fixable due to improved technology available to the Fish and Wildlife Service. The mistakes that led to the Bald Head Island properties being placed within the outer boundary of NC07P were clearly not intended by Congress when maps were created.

While correcting the lines around Bald Head Island, the Fish and Wildlife Service--working with the State of North Carolina and the local communities contained within NC07P--identified additional acres that are eligible for addition to NC07P. As such, the technical changes called for in this legislation, which I was pleased to work so closely on with Senator Elizabeth Dole, have the added benefit of vastly increasing the overall acreage in the map.

Many people were involved in this process. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the work of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Resources, U.S. Representatives Richard Pombo and Nick Rahall, as well as the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, U.S. Representatives Wayne Gilchrest and Frank Pallone. I would also like to thank Senator Dole for her hard work on this; Dave Jansen of the Resources Committee; Katie Nemi, Paul Suza, and all of the staff over at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Becky King, former Village Manager of Bald Head Island; and Mary Ellen Simmons of my staff for all of her hard work in coordinating this incredible effort.

As hurricane season approaches, there are landowners on Bald Head Island who, by no fault of their own, would be left unprotected if a storm were to hit the lower Cape Fear region. That is why this matter requires immediate attention, and why I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1663) to replace certain Coastal Barrier Resources System maps, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1663, introduced by Senator Elizabeth Dole, will remove 284 acres of private fastland, wetlands and open water property that has been mistakenly included within the Coastal Barrier Resources System. A similar bill, H.R. 2501, has been proposed by our colleague the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre). Specifically this legislation would replace two incorrectly drawn maps with updated digitized maps that accurately reflect the boundaries of the Cape Fear unit in North Carolina. This unit, which is referred to as an otherwise protected area, was established to protect certain public lands already held for conservation purposes. Regrettably, because of honest mistakes, the boundaries delineated on the maps erroneously include private property that is not an inholding. Under the terms of this measure, 26 homes and a number of undeveloped lots on Bald Head Island, North Carolina will be removed from the system. At the same time, however, 6,760 acres of additional military and State park lands will be added to the coastal barrier system for a net gain of 6,476 acres.

During the hearing on this legislation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service testified in support of this needed correction and stated that the private properties in question are outside the boundaries of the conservation area and are not held for conservation purposes.

I urge support of this bill so that these homeowners can obtain the Federal flood insurance they need to protect their property and so that the boundaries of this coastal barrier unit can accurately reflect those lands that should be held for conservation purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I thank the gentleman from Arizona for again his management of this proposed legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this bill was introduced by the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Mrs. Dole, and in compliance also a companion bill was introduced in the House by my good friend the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).

As stated by the previous speaker, Mr. Speaker, S. 1663 is noncontroversial legislation that would correct the boundaries of an otherwise protected area located near the mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. I want to thank again Chairman Gilchrest and Ranking Member Pallone of the Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans for their contributions in making an improvement to this proposed legislation.

The technical corrections contained in the new maps that would be adopted through passage of this bill have been painstakingly reviewed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and all local property owners to ensure their accuracy. In fact, I cannot recall another comparable bill that has undergone such a thorough review. In this regard again I want to congratulate and praise the House sponsor of companion legislation, H.R. 2501, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), for his perseverance in seeing this process through. The gentleman from North Carolina's diligence and persistence have resulted in a final product that addresses the legitimate needs of his constituents. Most important, Mr. Speaker, this legislation respects and upholds the integrity of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.