Like most years, 2026 was a year of playing both offense and defense at the Rhode Island State House – fighting for legislation to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and working to block legislation that threatens the health of our Bay and watersheds. And, as in past years, Save The Bay made progress on both fronts with support from our allies and with the voices of our members and supporters behind us.
CRMC Reform, Bottle Bill Stalled: This year, Save The Bay supported legislation by Sen. McKenney and Representative Jay Edwards that would have eliminated CRMC’s politically appointed Council by merging CRMC into DEM and creating a new Bureau of Coastal Resources Management. That bill received a favorable hearing in the House but failed to receive one in the Senate. This will remain a top priority as we head into next year’s legislative session.
It was a similarly quiet year for recycling reform legislation (aka “the bottle bill”), as the Department of Environmental Management is currently conducting a detailed implementation analysis to determine exactly what it would take to get such a system up and running in Rhode Island. That report is due by the end of the year, and we expect 2027 to be a busy year in our advocacy to pass a bottle bill to reduce litter and marine debris from beverage containers.
Green Bond to Go Before Voters: The Governor’s proposed FY27 budget included a $50M bond proposal that included $20 million in funding for climate resilience and adaptation projects as well as $7 million for Narragansett Bay watershed restoration – both very important issues for Save The Bay. Along with our allies in the legislature and Rhode Island’s environmental advocacy community, we were able to increase climate resilience funding to $25 million, add $3 million for state open space funding, and $3 million for the preservation of agricultural lands.
“Issue 5” – now a $55 million proposal – will need to be approved by Rhode Island voters in November. These dollars are critically important to ensure that Rhode Island’s cities and towns have the resources they need to respond to the impacts of climate change and make improvements to stormwater management and other systems that protect our waterbodies. Save The Bay and others will be leading a campaign in the coming months to ensure that this year’s “green bond” – as with past green bond questions – passes with strong voter support. (Stay tuned for how to get a “Yes on 5” yard sign and other ways to support the green bond campaign.)
Combating Invasive Species: Managing invasive species is one of the biggest challenges faced by those who help manage public lands, parks and open spaces in Rhode Island. Yet Rhode Island was the only state in the region – and one of just a handful of states in the U.S. – without a statewide prohibition on the sale of invasive plants, trees and shrubs. With the passage of legislation sponsored by Senator Mark McKenney and Representative Jennifer Boylan, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management will be charged with developing a list of plants that will be illegal to sell in the state. (Note: this new prohibition will not apply to any plants already in the ground – only the sale of new plants.)
Defending Our Shoreline: Save The Bay successfully stopped two pieces of legislation that could have had serious negative implications for the future of our shoreline and coastal habitats. One bill (H7309/S3039) would have decimated the state’s coastal permitting program by allowing any coastal property owner to construct seawalls or revetments without needing to get approval from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC). The other bill (H8216) would have required CRMC to undertake an unnecessary and onerous review of the state’s rules and regulations on shoreline protection and climate change adaptation.
Get Involved, Stay Involved
2026 is an election year, with the Governor and all 113 members of the General Assembly up for election. Let your candidates know that a clean and healthy Bay is important to you. You can also make your voice heard by joining Save The Bay’s Action Alert network!