About this Collection

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 Puerto Rico coasts. The CBRS currently includes 585 System Units, which comprise nearly 1.4 million acres of land and associated aquatic habitat. There are also 277 "Otherwise Protected Areas," a category of coastal barriers that are mostly already held for conservation and/or recreation purposes that include an additional 2.1 million acres of land and associated aquatic habitat. The CBRS units are identified and depicted on a series of maps entitled “John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System.” These maps are controlling and indicate which lands are affected by the CBRA. The maps are maintained by the Department of the Interior through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.