RI Superior Court Vacates Another CRMC Council Decision
Save The Bay Renews Call to Remove Council.
For Immediate Release
Media Inquiries To:
Juan Espinoza
401-272-3540 x136 (O); 401-203-3184 (C)
jespinoza@savebay.org
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – April 1, 2026 – Last week, the Rhode Island Superior Court struck down yet another Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) decision; this time, a Council approval of a modified aquaculture application without public input. The Court called the Council’s decision “clearly erroneous, in violation of statutory provisions, made upon unlawful procedure, and affected by other errors of law.” Save The Bay is renewing its call to overhaul the state agency by removing the controversial, politically-appointed Council.
“The Council continues to violate the law and make procedural blunders,” said Save The Bay’s Executive Director Topher Hamblett. “Here we are, in 2026, and the Court has instructed the Council to redo hearings on an aquaculture application submitted over eight years ago, but this time, to follow its own rules. Judicial reversals of Council decisions with orders to ‘do it again, but the right way’ erode the public’s trust, hamper orderly review of coastal permits and negatively impact Rhode Island’s business climate. How bad does this have to get for the General Assembly to take meaningful action?”
Despite the Champlin’s backroom deal, the Quidnessett Country Club’s illegal wall, years of needless permitting delays, and multiple Court rulings overturning Council decisions, there have been no legislative oversight hearings to hold the Council accountable.
The recent court ruling 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, and no new members have been appointed.
In its decision, the Court pointed to the Council reversing a subcommittee recommendation to deny the application, despite the objections of two Council members who argued that the Council should not approve the application because it had been substantially modified to the point of being a “new” application, requiring public notice and the opportunity for public comment.
Hamblett added, “This is a glaring example of why the Council has to go. Even if the most highly qualified people were appointed, they would be operating in a structure that consistently ignores its own rules, drags out permit applications for years, is unaccountable and ill-equipped to deal with the threats and challenges facing Rhode Island’s coastal communities.”
State Senator Mark McKenney and State Representative Jay Edwards have introduced legislation that would eliminate the Council and merge the CRMC into Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) by creating a new Bureau of Coastal Resources Management (S3082, Sen. McKenney/ H7996, Rep. Edwards). 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 Rhode Island consistent with most other coastal states in how their coastal resources are managed.
Save The Bay calls on General Assembly leaders and the Governor to enact this legislation and give Rhode Islanders confidence that Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island’s coast are protected.
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About Save The Bay
Founded in 1970, the Rhode Island-based nonprofit Save The Bay seeks to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its 1,705-square-mile watershed. The organization works to achieve its vision of a fully swimmable, fishable Narragansett Bay, accessible to all, through its advocacy, education, and habitat restoration and adaptation work. Learn more about Save The Bay at www.savebay.org.