Organization Applauds Attorney General and Legislative Sponsors for Proposal to Eliminate Politically-Appointed Council.
PROVIDENCE, R.I.—February 26, 2025—Save The Bay today applauded Attorney General Peter Neronha for his introduction of legislation to reform the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) by eliminating the politically-appointed Council. House Bill 5706, sponsored by Representative Terri Cortvriend (D-Portsmouth) was posted today on the General Assembly’s website. Companion legislation is being filed in the Senate by Senator Mark McKenney (D-Warwick.)
“We’re thankful that Attorney General Neronha, along with Representative Cortvriend and Senator McKenney, have prioritized this important legislation,” said Jed Thorp, Director of Advocacy at Save The Bay. “A growing list of poor decisions by the CRMC’s politically-appointed Council proves that the current decision-making structure is flawed, and reform is needed to restore public confidence and improve how our coastal resources are managed in the future.”
Under current law, important regulatory decisions about Rhode Island’s coastal resources are made by political appointees who are not required to have any background in – or knowledge of – coastal law, policy or ecology. Recent decisions by the Council regarding Champlin’s Marina on Block Island and coastal dredging in Jamestown were overturned by the courts due to the politically-appointed Council failing to follow their own laws and procedures. The legislation introduced today would eliminate the appointed Council, put coastal decision-making where it belongs – in the hands of coastal experts, and rename the agency the Department of Coastal Resources. The roles and functions of the agency would remain the same.
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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.