Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce along with the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Graham, the Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2022. The Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of…
Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce along with the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Graham, the Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2022.
The Strengthening Coastal Communities Act of 2022 amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act and codifies maps to update and add units to the Coastal Barrier Resources System. Congress first passed the bipartisan Coastal Barrier Resources Act in 1982, due in no small part to the hard work of former Congressman Tom Evans from Delaware. Today, the Coastal Barrier Resources System consists of 588 system units, which are areas of low and undeveloped coastal land along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico coasts. There are also 282 otherwise protected areas in the system, which are used primarily for conservation and recreation purposes. Together, this is 3.5 million acres of land and associated aquatic habitat. These units and areas are important not only because they protect habitat vital to our Nation's wildlife but because conserving sensitive coastal habitats also protects our coastal communities--our homes, businesses, and infrastructure--from flooding.
The Strengthening Coastal Communities Act represents a proactive step toward more resilient coastlines across our Nation. We need to prioritize the protection of our coastlines ahead of the next storm instead of in response to it. Doing so will make our coastal communities better able to withstand extreme weather events in the face of a changing climate.
The legislation I am introducing today would codify 195 updated or new maps that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has transmitted to Congress for the Coastal Barrier Resources System. This bill also includes some minor amendments to the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to improve Agency implementation of the Act. In addition, the bill authorizes $5 million in appropriations annually for the Coastal Barrier Resources Act for fiscal years 2023 through 2027. This increase from the last appropriation authorization of $2 million is well- justified by the long-term coastal resilience value generated by the program. This program also saves taxpayer dollars by restricting the use of Federal funding in the sensitive areas that comprise the Coast a Barrier Resources System. This reauthorization has clear benefits for our environment and economy--a win-win for Delaware and our Nation.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to enact this important legislation this Congress. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill I am introducing today be printed in the Record following my statement.
