Because the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has identified Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) areas in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties and these areas have been shown on the FIRMs for the affected areas of these counties, it is important to understand why these areas are presented and what effect they have on NFIP requirements.

The U. S. Congress passed the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) in 1982 and the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act in 1990, defining and establishing a system of protected coastal areas (including the Great Lakes), known as the CBRS.  Areas within the CBRS are subject to wave, tidal, and wind energies and protect landward aquatic habitats from direct wave attack.  The Acts further define CBRS areas as all associated aquatic habitats, including the adjacent wetlands, marshes, estuaries, inlets, and nearshore waters, but only if such features and associated habitats contain few manmade structures and if these structures, and man's activities on such features and within such habitats, do not significantly impede geomorphic and ecological processes.

The Acts provide protection to CBRS areas by prohibiting most expenditure of Federal funds within the CBRS, including the sale of flood insurance for buildings constructed or substantially improved after the effective date of the CBRS area.  These prohibitions refer to "any form of loan, grant, guarantee, insurance, payment, rebate, subsidy or any other form of direct or indirect Federal assistance," with specific and limited exceptions.

In addition to the CBRS, the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990 established Otherwise Protected Areas (OPAs).  OPAs are undeveloped coastal barriers within the boundaries of an area established under Federal, State, or local law, or held by a qualified organization, primarily for wildlife refuge, sanctuary, recreational, or natural resource conservation purposes.

The U.S. Congress designated the initial CBRS areas in 1982.  Subsequent modifications of the CBRS are introduced as legislation to be acted on by the U.S. Congress, and originate from State and local requests as well as recommendations made by the USFWS.  After Congress approves additions to the CBRS, the new areas are assigned a unique effective date, after which Federal assistance prohibitions apply. 

In cooperation with the USFWS, FEMA transfers CBRS and OPA boundaries to FIRMs and DFIRMs using congressionally adopted source maps.  FEMA ensures that the FIRMs and DFIRMs clearly depict the different CBRS areas and OPAs and their prohibition dates with special map notes and symbologies.  FEMA, MEMA, and MDEQ will work together to ensure that the CBRS area and OPA information is also correctly shown on the new DFIRMs for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties.

Additional information on the FEMA procedures for the depiction of CBRS areas and OPAs on FIRMs and DFIRMs is provided in Volume 2, Section 2.2 of FEMA’s Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners. The USFWS Web site contains additional information on the USFWS procedures for the determination of CBRS areas and OPAs.