Building on the Coastal Barriers Resource Act

by Elise Jones, Natl Wildlife Federation, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Barrier Islands: Process and Management

Abstract:

In 1982, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) was enacted to minimize the loss of human life, wasteful expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish and wildlife and other natural resources that can accompany development on coastal barriers. The Act established the Coastal Barrier Resources System consisting of 186 units along 1072 km of shoreline on the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Since then, no detailed account of development throughout the System has been documented to assess the effectiveness of CBRA in discouraging coastal barrier development. Using aerial photographs, substantial housing or condominium developments in 12 units were detected. For the most part, however, smaller developments and specific numbers and types of structures are yet undocumented. In order to more precisely quantify and classify structures built since CBRA's enactment, U.S. Geological Survey aerial photos taken in 1982 are being compared with those from 1986 through 1988.

Subject Headings: Wetlands (coastal) | Coastal management | Geological surveys | Aerial photography | Legislation | Construction engineering | Aerial surveys | Gulf of Mexico

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