Coastal Blue Acres (CBA) was created with the passage of the Green Acres, Farmland, Historic Preservation and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995. The bond act contains $15 million for grants and loans to municipalities and counties to acquire lands in coastal areas that have been damaged by storms, that may be prone to storm damage, or that buffer or protect other lands from storm damage, for recreation and conservation purposes. The act defines coastal areas as those within the CAFRA Zone

CBA funds are divided into two parts:

• Pre-storm: $6 million. Acquisition of unimproved and largely unimproved storm prone and buffer lands is funded with 75 percent grant/25 percent loan. (Please note that as of November 1998, all Pre-Storm funds have been committed to projects. No Pre-Storm funds are currently available)
• Post-storm: $9 million. Acquisition of lands that have suffered at least a 50 percent reduction in value as a result of storm damage will be funded with 50 percent grant/50 percent loan.</li

One hundred twenty-two municipalities and eight counties are eligible to apply for CBA funds. Coastal area lands eligible for purchase with CBA funds can be lands anywhere on a coastal barrier island, lands within 150 feet landward of the mean high water line of any tidal water, or lands within 150 feet of the landward limit of a beach or dune.

All CBA funded purchases must be from willing sellers. Pre-storm CBA project sites must be at least 50 percent uplands to be eligible for funding. CBA acquired lands will be restricted to minimal improvements for public access.

For more information about Coastal Blue Acres, please call (609) 984-0500.