Number: 1986-19
WHEREAS, winds, waves and storms affect all United States shorelines; and
WHEREAS, coastal barrier landforms exist on all U.S. shorelines protecting important landward aquatic habitats and the mainland from the impacts of major storms; and
WHEREAS, the unconsolidated sediments of coastal barriers are unstable; and
WHEREAS, coastal barriers contain high fish and wildlife values; and
WHEREAS, development pressure on our coasts continues to increase faster than for other lands, making undeveloped coastal barriers a diminishing resource; and
WHEREAS, coastal barriers can best function to protect fish and wildlife resources and landward development when they are left undeveloped; and
WHEREAS, coastal storms cost the nation billions of dollars annually for disaster relief, flood insurance and reconstruction; and
WHEREAS, the withdrawal of federal subsidies from these areas will further the goals of the Coastal Zone Management Act to limit non water dependent development;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 20-23, 1986, in Seattle, Washington, urges Congress to expand the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to include undeveloped coastal barriers on all coasts and shorelines and to strengthen the protection of these areas and the Coastal Barrier Resources System.