Overview of the BEACH Act
The Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm Act (BEACH Act) was enacted on November 25, 2024. This legislation adopts 195 revised maps that affect 454 units of the (CBRS) across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York (Long Island), New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. This update affects 28% of the total CBRS acreage.
Key Changes
The BEACH Act bolsters coastal resilience and addresses previous mapping errors by:
- Expanding the CBRS: The new maps add approximately 294,000 acres to the CBRS, making the largest expansion since 1900.
- Removing Land and Structures: The revised maps remove about 1,400 acres (primarily uplands) and 955 structures (mostly private residences) that were incorrectly included in the CBRS due to outdated mapping technology.
The BEACH Act reauthorizes the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) and includes several important provisions:
- Affected Structures: Structures removed from the CBRS are now eligible for federal flood insurance and other federal programs. All structures that are on the ground in the newly added areas within one year of the law’s passage will remain eligible for all federal programs through a grandfathering provision.
- New Exceptions: Establishes exceptions for certain coastal storm risk management projects and aquaculture operations.
- Real Estate Disclosure: Directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to develop a disclosure requirement for real estate transactions in communities affected by CBRA.
- Scientific Evaluation: Tasks the Service and the U.S. Geological Survey with conducting a scientific evaluation and preparing a report to Congress on the dynamics of coastal barrier ecosystems, including the impacts of hazards. The report is to include case studies of various coastal barrier areas and provide recommendations to Congress for furthering the goals of CBRA.
- Improve Compliance with CBRA: Requires all affected federal agencies to revise or issue regulations and guidance to ensure compliance with CBRA.
- Technical Clarifications: The law also includes other technical clarifications.
For additional detail on the BEACH Act provisions, see our fact sheet and section-by-section summary. (coming soon)
