What’s next for PCC in 2024 and beyond
CRMC Reform
The bulk of our current work, of course, revolves around reforming CRMC, and in 2024, we made enormous strides in that direction. A comprehensive bill to reform CRMC, doing away with the 10-member council and replacing it with a new Department of Coastal Resources, was submitted in both the Senate and the House. Key senior legislators, including Senate President Dominick Ruggiero, Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson, and Jamestown’s Senator Dawn Euer, were co-sponsors of the bill. The companion bill in the House was submitted a week later, co-sponsored by Jamestown Representative Alex Finkelman and powerfully introduced by A.G. Peter Neronha.
But despite this terrific momentum, the House and Senate leadership, aided and abetted by the RI Governor, secretly maneuvered to keep the bills from coming to the floor for a vote, which would have been overwhelmingly in favor of passage. So now we are already gearing up for a stronger effort in 2025, and will both broaden and strengthen our advocacy and communications efforts to finally see CRMC reform next year.
CRMC Water Type
We will shine a critical spotlight on the 1980s outdated CRMC water type classification system that considers the entire east coast of Conanicut Island from the Newport Bridge to Bull Point as preferred for commercial development over residential and conservation purposes. We are working with The Dumplings Association for appropriate changes to that rule.
Click here to find out more about CRMC Water Type.
Monitor Local Government
As the island watchdog, we will play close attention to the operations of the Jamestown planning and zoning boards, as well as the Town Council, where they affect our coastal heritage, and plan to speak out both through earned media and at public meetings. Sea level rise and storm surge planning for threatened areas of Jamestown are already on the Town Council docket, but we will advocate for much stronger action on preparing our island for the already happening climate crisis. We will closely monitor the expansion plans of the three corporate-owned marinas, often conducted under the radar of state organizations like DEM and CRMC, to assess whether their plans are in conflict with stated conservation objectives.
Aquaculture
We will also monitor the expansion of aquaculture farms around the island to ensure that they are sited appropriately, are environmentally appropriate and do not impede public access to those waterways.
Mackerel Cove, looking southwest towards Beavertail.
Sea Level Rise
Worldwide, no one is now spared the disastrous effects of climate change, and Conanicut Island is no exception. Last winter, rising sea levels combined with powerful storm surges four times cut off access to and from Beavertail, and many people were stranded in either direction by the closure of the Mackerel Cove road. Similar effects occurred on Conanicus Avenue in town, and the North Road at Great Creek. And the situation will only get worse. Protect Conanicut Coastline is beginning to take action, by studying the possible methods and funding to control the flooding and by engaging citizen action to ensure that Town, State, and Federal agencies are all aligned on the urgency of the matter and are all working in partnership on mediation strategies for the long term.
Another winter storm devastates Mackerel Cove beach and roadway. Photo Credit: Kathleen Delorey Brown
But to do all this, we plan to enhance our organization by the following:
Expand the size of our board, grow our support across the island and enhance our professional and technical expertise
Update and launch PCC website as primary communications and development tool
Begin to promote PCC through earned media campaign;
Expand policy partnerships with other Jamestown and Rhode Island NGOs
Develop the PCC website as our primary communications and development tool
Continue to promote PCC through a sustained media campaign
We are now set to move our organization to a higher level of preparedness for the battles to come, with clear environmental goals in adherence to Jamestown's Comprehensive Community Plan, adopted by the town in 2015, which seeks to protect our island's ecological integrity and rural character. We believe this plan also provides a strong basis to seek financial support for our operations, and we welcome all interested parties to join us in those efforts.
