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, 118-123 [2020-29043]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[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 [email protected], 
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

[[Page 123]]

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