Dear {{FirstName or 'Audubon Advocate'}},

The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) is vital to protecting our coastal environment and critical habitat for many species, including vulnerable shorebirds. It protects our pristine beaches and protects taxpayers from the costs of private development.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add protections for 141,072 acres along the Atlantic coast in five states that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy: Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia. This proposal would help protect undeveloped coastal habitats that are critical to shorebirds and coastal communities, while saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Send a public comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to let them know you want to expand protections for our coastal habitat. The deadline to comment is just three weeks away on April 17.

CBRA prevents taxpayer-funded subsidies for development in hazard-prone areas that, when left undeveloped, protect communities from hurricanes and other disastrous storms. Additionally, CBRA helps preserve undisturbed habitat for birds and other wildlife. 

The law does not regulate how people develop their land. But it DOES ensure that taxpayers don’t bear the cost, burden, or risk of individuals who want to build in these areas. As coastal populations are growing, coastal habitat is being converted into development at increasing rates, posing a significant threat to birds, wildlife, and communities that rely on these critical areas for survival and protection.

Speak up to protect critical habitat now and in the future by sending a public comment in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to add protections for more coastal habitat.