[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 118-123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-29043]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0058; FF09E15000-FXES111609B0000-190]
John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System; Okaloosa and
Walton Counties, FL; Beaufort and Charleston Counties, SC; Availability
of Draft Revised Boundaries and Request for Comments
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act of 2006
requires the Secretary of the Interior to prepare digital versions of
the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) maps and
make recommendations for the expansion of the CBRS. We, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, have prepared draft revised boundaries for two
existing CBRS units in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida, and for
four existing units and two proposed new units in Beaufort and
Charleston Counties, South Carolina. This notice announces the
availability of the proposed boundaries for public review and comment.
DATES:
Accessing documents: Requests for the stakeholder outreach toolkit
described under Availability of Proposed Coastal Barrier Resources
System Boundaries and Related Information, below, should be made by
February 3, 2021 to encourage any local outreach to be conducted early
in the comment period, leaving ample time for the public to review and
submit comments. However, requests made after this date, within a
reasonable time, will be fulfilled.
Submitting comments: To ensure consideration, we must receive your
written comments by March 5, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by one of the following
methods:
Electronically: Go to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Search for FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0058, which is
the docket number for this notice.
By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to:
Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2019-0058, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB/3W, Falls
Church, VA 22041-3808.
We request that you send comments by only one of the methods
described above. We will post all information received on https://www.regulations.gov. If you provide personal identifying information in
your comment, you may request at the top of your document that we
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie Niemi, Coastal Barriers
Coordinator, via telephone at 703-358-2071, by email at CBRA@fws.gov,
or via the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal Barrier Resources
Reauthorization Act of 2006 (CBRRA; section 4 of Pub. L. 109-226)
requires the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prepare digital
versions of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS)
maps and make recommendations for the expansion of the CBRS. We, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have prepared draft revised
boundaries for two existing CBRS units in Okaloosa and Walton Counties,
Florida, and for four existing units and two proposed new units in
Beaufort and Charleston Counties, South Carolina. This notice announces
the availability of the proposed boundaries for public review and
comment.
Background on the Coastal Barrier Resources System
Coastal barrier ecosystems are inherently dynamic systems located
at the interface of land and sea. Coastal barriers and their associated
aquatic habitat (wetlands and open water) provide important habitat for
fish and wildlife, and serve as the mainland's first line of defense
against the impacts of severe storms. With the passage of the Coastal
Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) in 1982 (16 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), Congress
recognized that certain actions and programs of the Federal Government
have historically subsidized and encouraged development on storm-prone
and highly dynamic coastal barriers, and the result has been the loss
of natural resources; threats to human life, health, and property; and
the expenditure of billions of tax dollars.
CBRA established the CBRS, which originally comprised 186
geographic units encompassing approximately 453,000 acres of relatively
undeveloped lands and associated aquatic habitat along the Atlantic and
Gulf of Mexico coasts. The CBRS was expanded by the Coastal Barrier
Improvement Act of 1990 (CBIA; Pub. L. 101-591) to include additional
areas along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, as well as areas
along the coasts of the Great Lakes, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
Puerto Rico.
The CBRS now comprises a total of 870 geographic units,
encompassing approximately 3.5 million acres of land and associated
aquatic habitat. These areas are depicted on a series of maps and known
as the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System. Most new
Federal expenditures and financial assistance that would have the
effect of encouraging development are prohibited within the CBRS.
Development can still occur within the CBRS, provided that
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private developers or other non-Federal parties bear the full cost.
The CBRS includes two types of units, System Units and Otherwise
Protected Areas (OPAs). System Units contain areas that were relatively
undeveloped and predominantly privately owned at the time of
designation, though they may also contain areas held for conservation
and/or recreation. Most new Federal expenditures and financial
assistance, including Federal flood insurance, are prohibited within
System Units. OPAs are predominantly comprised of conservation and/or
recreation areas such as national wildlife refuges, State and national
parks, and local and private conservation areas, though they may also
contain private areas not held for conservation and/or recreation. OPAs
are denoted with a ``P'' at the end of the unit number. The only
Federal spending prohibition within OPAs is the prohibition related to
Federal flood insurance.
The Secretary, through the Service, is responsible for
administering CBRA, which includes maintaining the official maps of the
CBRS, determining whether certain areas are located within the CBRS,
consulting with Federal agencies that propose to spend funds within the
CBRS, preparing updated maps of the CBRS, and making recommendations to
Congress regarding changes to the CBRS. Aside from three minor
exceptions, only Congress--through legislation--can modify the maps of
the CBRS to add or remove land. These exceptions, which allow the
Secretary to make limited modifications to the CBRS (16 U.S.C. 3503(c)-
(e)), are for: (1) Changes that have occurred to the CBRS as a result
of natural forces, (2) voluntary additions to the CBRS by property
owners, and (3) additions of excess Federal property to the CBRS.
The Service receives numerous requests from property owners and
other interested parties who seek to remove areas from the CBRS. When
assessing potential removals from and additions to the CBRS, the
Service considers a set of guiding principles and criteria which are
further described under Types of Boundary Changes, below. The Service
generally does not recommend removals from the CBRS, unless there is
clear and compelling evidence that a mapping error was made. In cases
where mapping errors are found, the Service recommends changes to the
maps and works with Congress and other interested parties to create
comprehensively revised maps using modern digital technology.
Coastal Barrier Resources System Remapping Methodology
The methodology described below is the general process through
which the Service prepares comprehensively revised CBRS boundaries,
including those produced through this technical correction for certain
Florida and South Carolina units. This methodology is consistent with
the methodology used for prior comprehensive remapping efforts,
including the Service's Hurricane Sandy Remapping Project (affecting
nine States in the northeast) that is described in a notice the Service
published in the Federal Register on March 12, 2018 (83 FR 10739).
Data Mining and Research
The Service procures the best available data and information
necessary to: (1) Determine whether the existing CBRS unit boundaries
appropriately follow the features they were intended to follow on-the-
ground; (2) determine the level of development that was on-the-ground
when the areas were originally included within the CBRS (e.g., dates of
construction and density of development); (3) identify qualifying
additions; and (4) evaluate unit type classifications (i.e., System
Unit or OPA).
We review all applicable historical background records of the CBRS
units (maintained by the Service), reports to Congress, public laws,
legislative history, testimony from Congressional hearings, Federal
Register notices, current and historical CBRS maps, the 1982 and 1994
CBRS photographic atlases (a set of aerial photography maintained by
the Service with the CBRS unit boundaries overlaid), materials
submitted by interested parties and their representatives in Congress,
and other data and information.
When necessary, we also obtain and assess both geospatial and non-
geospatial data from a variety of Federal sources (e.g., Federal
Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Service's National Wetlands Inventory and refuge programs,
and U.S. Geological Survey), as well as State, local, and
nongovernmental sources. These data may include, but are not limited
to, current and historical aerial imagery, natural resource and natural
hazard data (e.g., wetlands data, shoreline change data, and flood
hazard data), land ownership and development data (e.g., property
parcel data and construction date information), and conservation and
recreation area data (e.g., park and wildlife refuge parcel boundaries,
conservation easement data, and parcel acquisition dates). Some of
these data sets are available for download on the internet or through
specific requests to the data steward, while others can only be
reviewed online through mappers, websites, and/or databases.
Proposed CBRS boundaries prepared by the Service are based upon the
best available information that the Service is able to obtain. In some
cases, there are challenges associated with the data mining and
research process. Data may be unavailable, unobtainable within a
reasonable time frame, incomplete, outdated, and/or in conflict with
other data of the same type from a different source. Construction dates
and both present and historical land ownership information can be
difficult to obtain and validate for certain areas (in particular,
ownership information for undeveloped wetland areas). It is also
difficult in some cases to determine structure type and use (e.g.,
residential, commercial, or other).
Initial Stakeholder Outreach
During the data mining and research phase of the technical
correction review, the Service generally conducts outreach with certain
landowners and/or managers of coastal barrier areas that are
``otherwise protected'' (as defined by the CBIA), meaning within the
boundaries of an area established under Federal, State, or local law,
or held by a qualified organization (defined under the Internal Revenue
Code (26 U.S.C. 170(h)(3)), primarily for wildlife refuge, sanctuary,
recreational purposes, or natural resource conservation purposes. Such
outreach is generally not conducted with the landowners and/or managers
of areas that do not meet the definition of ``otherwise protected.''
This includes areas zoned or regulated by State or local governments
for the purpose of restricting the nature or density of development,
but where such regulation does not necessarily reflect the intent of
the property owners to protect the area for conservation and/or
recreation in perpetuity (e.g., local zoning categories such as dune
districts, inlet hazard areas, and setback zones and areas subject to
conservation easements or leases that have limited restrictions).
Conservation/recreation area landowners and/or managers are
contacted during the data mining and research phase in cases where the
following information is necessary to prepare the proposed boundaries:
(1) The location of conservation and/or recreation area boundaries
(primarily in cases where the CBRS unit boundary
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was intended to be coincident with that boundary and there is
conflicting information about the parcel boundary location), and/or (2)
the acquisition date(s) of the conservation and/or recreation area.
Additionally, conservation/recreation area landowners and/or managers
are contacted when the Service requires additional information
necessary to determine the appropriate CBRS unit type classification
(i.e., System Unit or OPA) for a particular conservation and/or
recreation area.
Given the large number of conservation and/or recreation area
stakeholders within certain areas and complexities associated with
mapping numerous small parcels, we generally limit our initial outreach
to those stakeholders that own and/or manage conservation and/or
recreation areas that are greater than approximately 10 acres in size
within the existing and/or proposed System Units. See Types of Boundary
Changes, below, for additional information about the mapping of
conservation/recreation areas within the CBRS.
Additional outreach to these groups and a broader group of
stakeholders is being conducted as part of the public review process;
see Request for Comments, below, for further information.
Acreage Calculations
The Service calculates the acreage of the CBRS units to help assess
the areal extent of the units and to quantify proposed changes. The
total acreage of a CBRS unit is comprised of fastland (land above mean
high tide) and associated aquatic habitat (wetlands and open water).
For the purpose of calculating acreage for CBRS remapping projects, the
wetland/fastland acreage breakdown of the units is derived from the
Service's National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data. A shoreline is
delineated (as described below) to be used in conjunction with the
boundaries of the unit to calculate acreage, and only areas landward of
this shoreline are included in the calculation. The associated aquatic
habitat acreage numbers include open water landward of the coastal
barrier, but not nearshore or offshore waters seaward of the shoreline.
The offshore acreage of the units is not calculated, because a fixed
seaward boundary for the units is generally not drawn due to the highly
dynamic nature of the littoral zone.
Although acreage for offshore areas is not calculated, the entire
sand sharing system on the seaward side, including the beach and
nearshore area, is included within the CBRS units. The sand sharing
system of coastal barriers is normally defined by the 30-foot
bathymetric contour. In the Great Lakes and in large coastal embayments
(e.g., Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and Narragansett Bay), the sand
sharing system is more limited in extent. In these cases, the sand
sharing system is defined by the 20-foot bathymetric contour or a line
approximately 1 mile seaward of the shoreline, whichever is nearer the
coastal barrier.
Shoreline Calculations
The Service calculates the shoreline of the units to help assess
the linear extent of the CBRS and to facilitate the calculation of the
acreage of the units as described above. For the purposes of CBRS
remapping projects, the Service digitizes a shoreline boundary to
artificially close off the units along the seaward shoreline. This
shoreline boundary generally follows the wet/dry sand line along the
seaward side of the unit as interpreted from the base imagery.
Additionally, the shoreline boundary spans any inlets and/or other
dividing water bodies within each unit. In some cases, highly
convoluted shorelines are generalized. Due to the complexities of
shoreline delineations, acreage numbers (rather than shoreline miles)
are the most reliable way to quantify proposed changes to the CBRS for
individual units.
Types of Boundary Changes
The Service applies objective mapping protocols, statutory
criteria, and a set of guiding principles for assessing modifications
to the CBRS. In 1982 and 1985, the Department published guidance in the
Federal Register (47 FR 35696 (August 16, 1982) and 50 FR 8698 (March
4, 1985)) for delineating CBRS unit boundaries. The Department's
Undeveloped Coastal Barriers: Report to Congress (1982) and Report to
Congress: Coastal Barrier Resources System (1988) and the Service's
Final Report to Congress: John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources
System Digital Mapping Pilot Project (2016) also contain protocols,
criteria, and guiding principles for CBRS mapping. The different types
of changes proposed through CBRS remapping projects include
modifications to reflect geomorphic change; alignment with geomorphic,
development, and cultural features; additions to and removals from the
CBRS; and modifications to CBRS boundaries in channels. Additionally,
CBRS unit type classifications (and reclassifications) are determined
according to a standard protocol described below.
Modifications To Reflect Geomorphic Change
CBRA requires that the Service review the maps of the CBRS at least
once every 5 years and make modifications to the boundaries of the
units to account for changes caused by natural forces such as accretion
and erosion (16 U.S.C. 3503(c)). This type of change can be made by the
Service administratively; however, it is also incorporated into
comprehensive remapping efforts for efficiency and cost-saving
purposes. The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are modified where
appropriate to account for natural changes that have occurred since the
maps were last updated.
Alignment With Geomorphic Features
CBRS boundaries are often intended to follow geomorphic features
such as a shoreline or the interface between wetlands and fastlands.
This applies mostly to System Units, though there are many cases where
OPA boundaries follow geomorphic features. The boundaries of System
Units and OPAs are modified where appropriate to align with underlying
geomorphic features.
Alignment With Development Features
CBRS boundaries are often intended to follow development features,
such as the edge of a road, a bridge, or the ``break-in-development''
that existed on-the-ground when the area was included within the CBRS.
The break-in-development is where development ended, immediately
adjacent to the last structure in a cluster or row of structures, or at
the property parcel boundary of the last structure. This applies mostly
to System Units, though there are cases where OPA boundaries follow
development features. The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are
modified where appropriate to align with development features.
Alignment With Cultural Features
CBRS boundaries are often intended to follow cultural features such
as roads and political boundaries (e.g., State, county, and town
boundaries) or conservation/recreation area boundaries. Both System
Units and OPAs follow cultural features; however, this applies
especially to OPAs, which often coincide with the boundaries of the
underlying conservation and/or recreation areas (although there are
exceptions). The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are modified where
appropriate to align with cultural features.
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Additions to the Coastal Barrier Resources System
In carrying out CBRS remapping projects, the Service often finds
areas of undeveloped fastland and associated aquatic habitat that are
not currently within the CBRS but are appropriate for inclusion (either
as additions to existing units or as entirely new units). When
assessing whether an area may be appropriate for addition to the CBRS,
the Service considers the following guiding principles:
(1) Whether the area may reasonably be considered to be a coastal
barrier feature, or related to a coastal barrier ecosystem (this
generally includes areas that are inherently vulnerable to coastal
hazards such as flooding, storm surge, wind, erosion, and sea level
rise) and
(2) Whether inclusion of the area within the CBRS is rationally
related to the purposes of CBRA (i.e., to minimize the loss of human
life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish,
wildlife, and other natural resources).
When assessing potential additions to the CBRS, the Service also
considers the following criteria:
(1) The level of development on-the-ground (i.e., whether the
number of structures or complement of infrastructure on-the-ground
exceeds the threshold for the area to be considered undeveloped) (16
U.S.C. 3503(g)(1)) and/or
(2) In the case of certain additions to existing units, the
location of geomorphic, cultural, and development features on-the-
ground at the time the adjacent area was included within the CBRS
(i.e., whether the CBRS boundary lines on the maps precisely follow the
underlying features they were intended to follow on-the-ground).
The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are modified where
appropriate to add undeveloped fastland and associated aquatic habitat
to the CBRS (either as additions to existing units or as entirely new
units). Such additions to the CBRS are consistent with section 4(c)(3)
of the 2006 Coastal Barrier Resources Reauthorization Act, which
directs the Secretary to make recommendations for expansion of the
CBRS. The unit type classification (i.e., System Unit versus OPA) is
determined according to the protocol described below, under Coastal
Barrier Resources System Unit Type Classification.
Additionally, the Service accommodates requests from landowners for
voluntary additions to the CBRS or reclassifications of conservation/
recreation areas from OPA to System Unit status. Voluntary additions to
the CBRS can be made by the Service administratively (16 U.S.C.
3503(d)); however, they are also incorporated into ongoing CBRS mapping
projects like this one for efficiency and cost-saving purposes.
Removals From the Coastal Barrier Resources System
In carrying out CBRS remapping projects, the Service also finds
areas that were inappropriately included within the CBRS and constitute
technical mapping errors. When assessing whether an area may be
appropriate for removal from the CBRS, the Service considers the
following guiding principles:
(1) Whether the area may reasonably be considered to be a coastal
barrier feature, or related to a coastal barrier ecosystem (this
generally includes areas that are inherently vulnerable to coastal
hazards such as flooding, storm surge, wind, erosion, and sea level
rise) and
(2) Whether inclusion of the area within the CBRS is rationally
related to the purposes of CBRA (i.e., to minimize the loss of human
life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish,
wildlife, and other natural resources).
The Service considers a technical mapping error to be a mistake in
the delineation of the CBRS boundaries that was made as a result of
incorrect, outdated, or incomplete information (often stemming from
inaccuracies on the original base maps). When assessing whether an area
may be appropriate for removal, the Service also considers the
following criteria:
(1) The level of development on-the-ground at the time the area was
included within the CBRS (i.e., the number of structures or complement
of infrastructure on-the-ground exceeded the threshold for the area to
be considered undeveloped) (16 U.S.C. 3503(g)(1)) and/or
(2) The location of geomorphic, cultural, and development features
on-the-ground at the time the area was included within the CBRS (i.e.,
the CBRS boundary lines on the maps do not precisely follow the
underlying features they were intended to follow on-the-ground).
The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are modified where
appropriate to remove areas that were inappropriately included within
the CBRS and constitute technical mapping errors.
Modifications to Coastal Barrier Resources System Boundaries in
Channels
In carrying out CBRS remapping projects, the Service finds that the
CBRS unit boundaries following channels in some cases include the
entire channel and in other cases include none of the channel within
the unit. The boundaries of System Units and OPAs are modified where
appropriate to include the entire extent of the channel within the
unit. In cases where a System Unit and an OPA share a coincident
boundary that follows a channel located between the two units, the
entire channel is generally included within the System Unit. In cases
where two System Units or two OPAs fall within a channel, the
coincident boundary is generally placed at the center of the channel. A
buffer (of about 20 feet) is generally applied along developed
shorelines (i.e., where structures and/or infrastructure such as
seawalls, bulkheads, and roads are very close to and run parallel to or
are coincident with the shoreline) to ensure that existing development
and infrastructure located on the shoreline are not inadvertently
included within the CBRS.
Coastal Barrier Resources System Unit Type Classification
In carrying out CBRS remapping projects, the Service considers the
qualifying coastal barrier feature and delineates the unit boundaries
in accordance with the protocols, criteria, and guiding principles
identified above, regardless of whether the area is (or was previously)
owned or managed for conservation and/or recreation. In other words,
the boundaries of both System Units and OPAs are generally drawn using
the same protocols, criteria, and guiding principles. The Service then
determines the unit type classification (for proposed additions) and
reclassification (for existing units) in accordance with the protocols
below.
The unit type classification (i.e., System Unit versus OPA) is
based on whether or not the unit was predominantly held for
conservation and/or recreation at the time of designation, and is
modified where appropriate and practicable. Such unit type
modifications for areas that are currently within the CBRS are referred
to as ``reclassifications.'' The reclassified areas are either added to
an existing adjacent unit of the same type or assigned a new unit
number. The following considerations are applied for unit type
classification and reclassification.
Areas Not Held for Conservation/Recreation Within Otherwise Protected
Areas
Areas that are not held for conservation/recreation may be included
within OPAs if they are: (1)
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Interspersed with and/or adjacent to a larger conservation/recreation
area, and (2) located in coastal barrier areas that were undeveloped
according to CBRA's statutory development criteria (16 U.S.C.
3503(g)(1)) at the time they were included within the CBRS (or are
currently undeveloped in the case of proposed additions). Additionally,
privately held inholdings (developed or undeveloped private tracts that
are contained within the exterior boundaries of the conservation and/or
recreation area) may also be included within OPAs.
Conservation/Recreation Areas Within System Units
Areas Held for Conservation/Recreation Prior to CBRS Designation
Areas that are held for conservation/recreation may be included
within System Units if they are: (1) Interspersed with and/or adjacent
to a larger area that is not held for conservation/recreation and (2)
undeveloped according to CBRA's statutory development criteria (16
U.S.C. 3503(g)(1)) at the time they were included within the CBRS (or
are currently undeveloped in the case of proposed additions).
For conservation/recreation areas greater than 10 acres, the
Service coordinates with the landowners (or managers) to seek their
concurrence on inclusion of their area within the System Unit. If the
owners do not concur with System Unit status, the Service classifies
such areas as OPAs to the extent practicable. However, minor
conservation/recreation areas (fastlands and wetlands smaller than 10
acres) and certain areas of open water would be impractical from a
mapping perspective to delineate separately as OPAs and therefore may
be included within System Units. Outreach is generally not conducted
for these minor areas during the initial stakeholder outreach phase of
the project (described above under Coastal Barrier Resources System
Remapping Methodology). Descriptions of such ``minor'' areas within
System Units are included in the set of unit summaries that describe
the Service's proposed changes to the CBRS. See Availability of
Proposed Coastal Barrier Resources System Boundaries and Related
Information, below, for information on where to access the unit
summaries.
The Service's records indicate that some conservation/recreation
areas were intentionally added to the CBRS as System Units in the past.
The Service generally does not seek concurrence from conservation/
recreation area owners (regardless of size) when there is evidence of
such prior intent, including letters from the stakeholder in the
Service's records indicating that the organization supported inclusion
of the property within the System Unit in the past, or records of
specific changes to the Department's recommended maps made by the
Congressional committees that reviewed them prior to their enactment.
Areas Held for Conservation/Recreation After Area Designated as CBRS
If an area is dedicated to conservation and/or recreation after its
initial inclusion within a System Unit, it is generally not
reclassified to an OPA.
Proposed Modifications to the CBRS
The Service has prepared draft revised boundaries that propose
modifications to the CBRS in Florida and South Carolina in accordance
with the methodology described above. The proposed revisions would
remove areas that were inappropriately included within the CBRS in the
past and add areas that meet CBRA's criteria for inclusion within the
CBRS (16 U.S.C. 3503(g)(1)). The proposed revisions would also
reclassify certain areas from System Unit to OPA, and vice versa.
A summary of metrics associated with the proposed changes by
county/State is provided below. More detailed information regarding the
specific proposed changes to each unit is available in a set of unit
summaries. See Availability of Proposed Coastal Barrier Resources
System Boundaries and Related Information, below, for information on
where to access the unit summaries.
Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida
The Service has prepared comprehensively revised proposed
boundaries for Moreno Point Unit P32/P32P in Okaloosa and Walton
Counties, Florida. The proposed boundaries for the Florida units would
remove 17 acres from the CBRS (14 acres of fastland and 3 acres of
associated aquatic habitat) and add 57 acres to the CBRS (7 acres of
fastland and 50 acres of associated aquatic habitat). The proposed
boundaries would remove 31 structures from the CBRS and add no
structures to the CBRS.
Beaufort County and Charleston Counties, South Carolina
The Service has prepared comprehensively revised proposed
boundaries for Morris Island Complex M06 in Charleston County, South
Carolina, and for Harbor Island Unit M11, St. Phillips Unit M12, and
Hunting Island Unit SC-09P in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The
proposed boundaries include two proposed new OPAs, Morris Island
Complex M06P and St. Phillips Unit M12P, which are within the vicinity
of the existing units in Beaufort and Charleston Counties. These
proposed new units are comprised entirely of areas that are not
currently contained within the CBRS.
The proposed boundaries for the South Carolina units would remove
13 acres from the CBRS (all fastland) and add 9,956 acres to the CBRS
(593 acres of fastland and 9,363 acres of associated aquatic habitat).
The proposed boundaries would remove nine structures from the CBRS and
add one structure to the CBRS.
Proposed Additions to the Coastal Barrier Resources System
The draft revised boundaries for the Florida and South Carolina
units would make additions to the CBRS (including the creation of two
new units) that are consistent with a directive in section 4 of the
2006 CBRRA concerning recommendations for expansion of the CBRS. The
proposed boundaries are based upon the best data available to the
Service at the time the areas were reviewed. Our assessment indicated
that any new areas proposed for addition to the CBRS were relatively
undeveloped at the time the proposed boundaries were created.
CBRA (16 U.S.C. 3503(g)) requires that we consider the following
criteria when assessing the development status of a potential addition
to the CBRS: (1) Whether the density of development is less than one
structure per 5 acres of land above mean high tide (which generally
suggests eligibility for inclusion within the CBRS); and (2) whether
there is existing infrastructure consisting of a road, with a
reinforced road bed, to each lot or building site in the area; a
wastewater disposal system sufficient to serve each lot or building
site in the area; electric service for each lot or building site in the
area; and a fresh water supply for each lot or building site in the
area (which generally suggests ineligibility for inclusion within the
CBRS).
If, upon review of the proposed boundaries, interested parties find
that any areas proposed for addition to the CBRS are currently
developed (according to the criteria codified at 16 U.S.C. 3503(g)),
they may submit supporting documentation of such development to the
Service during this public comment period. For any areas proposed for
addition to the CBRS, we will consider the density of development and
level of infrastructure
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on-the-ground as of the close of the comment period (see DATES, above).
Request for Comments
Section 4 of the 2006 CBRRA requires the Secretary to provide an
opportunity for the submission of public comments. We invite the public
to review and comment on the proposed CBRS boundaries for CBRS Units
P32/P32P, M06/M06P, M11, M12/M12P, and SC-09P. The Service is
specifically notifying the following stakeholders concerning the
availability of the proposed boundaries: The Chair and Ranking Member
of the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources; the
Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and
Public Works; the members of the Senate and House of Representatives
for the affected areas; the Governors of Florida and South Carolina;
organizations that own (or manage) land held for conservation and/or
recreation within the existing and proposed units (where such ownership
information and mailing addresses were publicly available); other
appropriate Federal, State, and local officials; and appropriate
nongovernmental organizations.
The Service is generally not notifying individual private property
owners concerning the availability of the proposed boundaries (except
for individuals who have specifically contacted us in the past
concerning a technical correction request). However, the Service
encourages local officials to distribute the ``Dear Interested Party''
notification letter included in the stakeholder outreach toolkit,
described below under Availability of Proposed Coastal Barrier
Resources System Boundaries and Related Information, to affected
property owners in their communities.
Interested parties may submit written comments and accompanying
data as described in ADDRESSES, above. Comments regarding specific CBRS
unit(s) should reference the appropriate unit number(s) and unit
name(s). We must receive comments on or before the date listed above in
DATES.
Following the close of the comment period, we will review all
comments we receive on the proposed boundaries and make adjustments to
the boundaries, as appropriate, based on information received through
public comments, updated aerial imagery, CBRA criteria, and objective
mapping protocols. We will then prepare final recommended maps to be
submitted to Congress. The final recommended maps will become effective
only if they are adopted by Congress through legislation.
Availability of Proposed Coastal Barrier Resources System Boundaries
and Related Information
The CBRS Projects Mapper (an online interface for the public to
view the proposed boundaries and obtain information about the proposed
changes) and unit summaries (containing historical changes and proposed
changes to the individual units) can be accessed from the Service's
website at https://www.fws.gov/cbra. A shapefile of the proposed CBRS
boundaries, which can be used with GIS software, is also available for
download. The shapefile is best viewed using the base imagery to which
the boundaries were drawn; the base imagery sources and dates are
included in the metadata for the shapefile. The Service is not
responsible for any misuse or misinterpretation of the shapefile. You
may submit a public comment using one of the methods listed above in
ADDRESSES.
Additionally, a stakeholder outreach toolkit (comprising unit
summaries, a shapefile of the draft revised boundaries, and a ``Dear
Interested Party'' notification letter) will be made available to local
officials upon request. Local officials may use this toolkit to
increase awareness of the project within their communities. Local
officials may contact the individual identified in FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT, above, for more information regarding the toolkit.
We recommend that any local community officials who want to use the
outreach toolkit request it as soon as possible to allow outreach
activities to occur in time for the public to submit comments before
the comment period closes (see DATES).
Interested parties who are unable to access the proposed boundaries
or other information online may contact the individual identified in
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above, and reasonable accommodations
will be made.
Gary Frazer,
Assistant Director for Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-29043 Filed 12-31-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P