Legislation introduced by Sen. McKenney and Rep. Edwards would merge CRMC with DEM.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – March 6, 2026
Save The Bay and others are renewing calls to overhaul the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) by removing the controversial, politically- appointed Council.
The organizations are now voicing support for new legislation to merge RI’s coastal agency into the Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The legislation is being introduced by Sen. Mark McKenney (Warwick) and Rep. Jay Edwards (Tiverton).
The new bill comes on the heels of the Governor and General Assembly failing to implement its own so-called “reform” law, which required the Governor to appoint, and the Senate to approve, six new members with “background, qualifications and expertise in environmental and coastal matters” to the Council by March 1, 2026. That deadline has passed, with no new members appointed. Under the law, which also downsized the Council from ten to seven members, and eliminated coastal community representation, current Council members continue to serve. Five of the six current appointed Council members are serving past their expired terms, and three additional seats on the Council have been vacant for years.
Meanwhile, high-profile cases like Quidnessett Country Club’s illegal wall and the contested Spring Avenue right-of-way case remain unresolved and continue to languish in the courts or in hearings.
“The House’s 2025 bill did not fix what is badly broken – the Council”, said Topher Hamblett, Executive Director of Save the Bay. “Even if the most highly qualified people were appointed, they would be operating in a structure that is inefficient, lacks accountability, and is ill-equipped to deal with the threats and challenges facing Rhode Island’s coastal communities. It is time to do away with the Council and all of the politics that go with it.”
State Senator Mark McKenney and State Representative Jay Edwards are introducing legislation that would merge the CRMC into Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) by creating a new Bureau of Coastal Resources Management. The legislation represents true reform and would allow the bureau to review permits in a timely fashion, provide cost-savings to the state by utilizing shared resources within DEM and be accountable to oversight, unlike the current politically-appointed Council. Merging CRMC into DEM would make RI consistent with most other coastal states in how their coastal resources are managed.
“Last session, the legislature chose to take a cautious approach, and not make any significant change. But the failure to comply with even the modest changes that were mandated by the 2025 law shows that actual, true reform is needed,” said Sen. Mark McKenney. “What’s being suggested now is actually a very reasonable change: just merge CRMC into DEM! As lawmakers, we have confidence that DEM will operate CRMC in a manner that’s more efficient and effective and less political. Let’s just get it done!”
“Rhode Island is an outlier having a politically-appointed Council that oversees and protects the coastal resources that are important to our residents,” said Rep. Jay Edwards. “Rolling CRMC into DEM will save the state money by creating efficiencies and forming a single strong voice for protecting our beautiful coast.”
Other advocacy organizations also weighed in on the missed deadline and merger bill:
“The politically appointed volunteer council structure has failed Rhode Island’s coastal resources for decades, resulting in expensive legal bills, unnecessary delays, and missed conservation opportunities. Unfortunately, these failures will persist for as long as the General Assembly continues to delegate its authority to unpaid, unaccountable volunteers, as it did in CRMC’s historical format and will continue to do following legislation passed in 2025.” said Michael Woods, Board Chair for the New England Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “Rhode Islanders shouldn’t have to wait any longer for their shared coastal resources to be placed in the hands of professionals.”
“Rhode Island Saltwater Angler Association has long been in favor of true reform of the CRMC,” said Rich Hittinger, 1st Vice President of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association. “Our members rely on the coastal environment for their businesses and personal enjoyment. We are therefore dependent on good management of our coastal resources. The current structure which puts political appointees in charge of all activities including permitting development in the RI coastal environment does not make sense. We believe that decision-making on important matters in the RI coastal environment should be made by qualified engineers and scientists who have knowledge of coastal matters such as the professional staff at CRMC. The law passed in 2025 does not go far enough to resolve this issue.”