We administer the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA), which encourages the conservation of storm-prone and dynamic coastal barriers by withdrawing the availability of federal funding and financial assistance within a designated set of units known as the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). The CBRS includes 3.8 million acres along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico coasts.

What We Do

Our Services

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is responsible for maintaining the official maps of the CBRS and making recommendations to Congress for appropriate changes to the boundaries; consulting with other federal agencies regarding federally funded projects proposed within the CBRS; and working with property owners, project proponents, and other stakeholders to determine whether a specific property or project site is located within the CBRS.

Our Projects and Initiatives

The Service is committed to ensuring accurate and user-friendly maps depicting the CBRS. Through a series of mapping projects, we have made progress in modernizing maps for the CBRS using digital technology that has significantly improved public access to information, increased efficiency for infrastructure project planning, and increased accuracy and timeliness in determining whether individual properties are located with the CBRS. 

Our Laws and Regulations

CBRA and its amendments are administered by the Service and affect all federal agencies that spend funds or provide financial assistance within the designated CBRS units. The Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm Act or BEACH Act (Pub. L. 118-117), enacted on November 25, 2024, requires all affected federal agencies to revise or issue regulations and guidance to ensure compliance with CBRA.

Latest Stories and Topics

Our Library

Whether you are looking for additional information about the Coastal Barrier Resources System, our current mapping projects, or official maps, you can find it here in our library.

Aerieal view of saltwater (intertidal) wetlands.
The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) of 1982 and subsequent amendments established the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). The CBRS consists of relatively undeveloped coastal barriers and other areas located the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and...
Report to Congress: John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Hurricane Sandy Remapping Project

In 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) initiated a project to modernize the maps of the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) units in the nine states along the North Atlantic coast most affected by Hurricane Sandy: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,...

Aerieal view of saltwater (intertidal) wetlands.
This library collection includes resources and information related to Coastal Barrier Resources Act project consultations, as well as guidance for shoreline stabilization, disaster assistance, and property buyouts.