Rhode Island BHA 2024 Policy Roundup

thumbnail.jpgRhode Island BHA 2024 Policy Roundup

Following a successful year in 2023, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ team in Rhode Island advocated more effectively than ever in 2024 to support the Ocean State’s public lands, waters and wildlife. The RI  team weighed in on over four dozen legislative bills, regulatory proposals, permitting applications and enforcement issues, and for the second year in a row was able to get one of our top policy priorities across the finish line. Below you’ll find updates on our work at the Rhode Island General Assembly and other state agencies from 2024.

 

Issue: Prohibiting Captive Hunting

Working to prohibit captive hunting – and more specifically the importation of captive wildlife like deer that could carry chronic wasting disease and invasive feral pigs – was a top legislative priority for BHA’s RI Team going into 2024. During the 2024 session the RI team supported H7294A & S2732A, introduced by Representative Scott Slater & Senator Matt LaMountain, respectively.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7294 & S2732

S2732A passed the RI Senate by a vote of 32-3 on April 9 and H7294A passed the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 69-0 on May 23, and each became effective on June 24th with the Governor’s signature. BHA’s RI team has led the effort to prohibit captive hunting and wildlife importation in the Ocean State since the near-passage of legislation in 2018 that would have facilitated the creation of Rhode Island’s first captive big-game hunting establishment.

In the Press:

Local hunters group advocating for banning captive hunting in Rhode Island - The Public's Radio

A private club wanted to import big game to RI. The state may ban captive hunting instead -The Providence Journal

Rhode Island House passes bill to ban captive hunting - WJAR Channel 10

Captive Hunting on Track to Be Banned - ecoRI News

 

Issue: Furbearing Animals

In their second year efforts to transfer authority over RI’s furbearer management list from State law to agency regulation were successful in 2024. BHA’s RI team supported H7562A & S2297A, introduced by Representative Thomas Noret & Senator David Tikoian, respectively, which passed the RI Senate by a vote of 35-1 on May 9 and the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 74-0 on May 14, and became effective on June 17th with the Governor's Signature.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7562 & S2297

The resulting statutory changes enable the RI Department of Environmental Management’s Fish & Wildlife Division to correct outdated scientific names of furbearing species currently managed in the Ocean State, and to also manage species that have recently established populations in RI like black bear and bobcat by adding them to the list. DEM initiated rulemaking to establish their new regulatory furbearer list in late 2024, and a final rule is expected to be finalized in early 2025.

 

Issue: Utilization of Roadkill

In their first year, efforts to ease restrictive statutory requirements on the utilization of roadkill in the Ocean State were successful. BHA’s RI team supported H7358A & S2810A, introduced by Representative David Bennett & Senator David Tikoian respectively, which passed the RI Senate by a vote of 37-0 on May 9 and the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 69-0 on May 23, and became effective on June 17th with the Governor's Signature.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7358 & S2810

The new law gives the RI Department of Environmental Management’s Fish & Wildlife Division the authority to establish a regulatory framework for tagging, reporting and utilizing road-killed wildlife. DEM initiated rulemaking to establish their new regulatory roadkill salvage framework in late 2024, and a final rule is expected to be published in early 2025.

In the Press:

Bill Would Change Procedure for Reporting, Collecting Roadkill - ecoRI News

Road-kill bill: Can RI make better use of animals killed by drivers? Should bounty be shared? - The Providence Journal

 

Issue: Aquaculture in Sapowet Cove

BHA’s RI team has aggressively opposed proposals to develop a commercial aquaculture facility in Tiverton’s Sapowet Cove since 2021, and this effort notched a major victory at the RI General Assembly in 2024. The team supported H7060A & S2415A, introduced by Representative Jay Edwards & Senator Lou DiPalma respectively, which passed the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 53-9 on June 6, the RI Senate by a vote of 27-7 on June 13 and became effective on June 26th without the Governor’s signature.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7060 & S2415

Following their enactment, RI’s general laws now require that “Sapowet Cove… shall not at any time be commercially developed or in any way modified from its current undeveloped state.” The law continues to specify that the area should only be used for passive outdoor recreation, which “means the use of land and water for restorations, conservation, and management of fish and wildlife and their habitats and wildlife-associated recreation such as hunting and fishing.”

While this should send a clear directive to RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council, who referred the pending application to their hearing officer in late 2023, the state’s coastal permitting agency opted to hold a bizarre series of meetings and delay making a final decision and disposing of the flawed proposal.

In the Press:

Is a bill to protect Tiverton’s Sapowet Cove really a move to block oyster farm plan? - Rhode Island Current

 

Issue: CRMC Reorganization

BHA’s RI team has participated in conversations focused on the structure and statutory authority of RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council since 2022, and going into 2024 reforming CRMC was a top priority for the team. As an agency, CRMC is tasked with “preserving, protecting, developing and where possible, restoring the coastal resources of the state”, and has tremendous power and very few guardrails to ensure that decisions are made with the public’s interests in mind, or that the rules are followed at all.

During the 2024 legislative session BHA supported H8148 & S2928A introduced by Representative Terri Cortvriend & Senator Victoria Gu, respectively. In spite of considerable advocacy efforts from BHA and others neither bill advanced from its respective committee, so reforming CRMC will remain a priority for the team moving forward.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H8148 & S2928

In the Press:

How to try to overhaul R.I.’s troubled coastal resources agency? Bring in the AG - Rhode Island Current

$2 Million Cost of CRMC Reform Effort Disputed - ecoRI News

CRMC Council Loses Member to Resignation, Reducing Coastal Decision-Making Body to 6 - ecoRI News

 

Issue: Shoreline Access

BHA’s Rhode Island team has led the way on shoreline access policy in the Ocean State for several years, which culminated in the passage of historic legislation in 2023 that protected the public’s access to RI’s coasts. During the 2024 legislative session BHA supported a package of three shoreline access bills intended to continue and further enhance shoreline access efforts, each introduced by Representative Terri Cortvriend & Senator Victoria Gu.

H7750 & S2634 sought to eliminate a statutory requirement that rights-of-ways to the shore support vehicular (or carriage) passage, subsequently providing an avenue for CRMC to designate non-vehicular paths to the shore that otherwise fit the criteria for state right-of-way designation. Under current RI law footpaths cannot be designated as rights-of-way to the shore. Unfortunately, neither bill advanced from its respective committee.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7750 & S2634

 

H7645A & S2641 sought to overhaul the state’s property abandonment laws for roadways. Under current RI law, municipalities must either maintain their roadways to vehicular standards or abandon all interest in them to abutting property owners. These requirements are especially concerning in low-lying coastal areas, where the increasing frequency and intensity of storms makes the maintenance of some roads difficult. Municipalities will soon be forced to either pay excessive upkeep costs or risk losing public access to the shore. The legislation proposes a third option for municipalities, where roads could be abandoned but an access easement retained in situations where it was warranted, and the proper abandonment protocol was followed. Unfortunately, neither bill advanced from its respective committee.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7645 & S2641

 

H7376A & S2185A proposed to update Rhode Island’s real estate sales law by requiring disclosure and acknowledgement of RI’s recently-updated shoreline access law. Disclosure of the law serves to both ensure that prospective shoreline property buyers aren’t disingenuously sold more than is legally allowed (i.e. private beaches), and to inform those moving from elsewhere that Rhode Island’s shores are public. The bills passed the RI Senate by a vote of 36-0 on June 4 and the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 68-0 on June 6, and became effective on June 17th with the Governor's signature.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7376 & S2185

 

In the Press:

R.I. lawmakers want buyers of oceanfront property to know shore access law - Boston Globe

Sen. Gu, Rep. Cortvriend introduce package of bills to strengthen shoreline access - Legislative Press Bureau

'Private beach' real estate ads draw fire from RI shoreline advocates - The Providence Journal

Shoreline Access Advocates Seek to Expand Public Rights of Way - ecoRI News

 

Issue: Nighttime Harvest of Blue Crabs

During the 2024 legislative session BHA’s RI Team supported H7440 & S2954, introduced by Representative Jennifer Boylan & Senator Matt LaMountain, respectively. Together, the bills sought to eliminate a decades-old statutory prohibition on the harvest of blue crabs after dark, and to subsequently allow RI’s Department of Environmental Management to determine whether or not the Ocean State’s blue crab fishery could support nighttime harvest. The bills passed the RI House of Representatives by a vote of 69-0 on March 26, the RI Senate by a vote of 37-0 on June 6 and became effective on June 17th with the Governor’s signature.

In late 2024 the RI Department of Environmental Management’s Marine Fisheries Division initiated rulemaking to eliminate their regulatory prohibition on nighttime harvest of blue crabs, which was adopted and became effective on January 19, 2025.

Read BHA’s Letter supporting H7440 & S2954

 

In the Press:

Fishing for blue crabs at night is illegal in RI, but a bill could change that - The Providence Journal

 

Issue: NOAA evaluation of CRMC

Every five years the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts periodic reviews of each state’s coastal management program as an eligibility requirement for that state to receive federal assistance. RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) was scheduled for review in 2024, and BHA’s RI team provided our insights – both good and bad - as part of the process. Due to the size and scope of their review, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management isn’t expected to publish their final report, recommendations and required actions until several months into 2025.

Read BHA’s letter to NOAA on CRMC’s performance review

 

In the Press:

NOAA Evaluating Rhode Island's Coastal Regulatory Agency - ecoRI News

 

Issue: Quidnessett Country Club

In 2024 RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) held several meetings related to an environmental violation and subsequent attempt to legitimize illegal activity through a petition for rulemaking by the Quidnessett Country Club. BHA’s Rhode Island team was present at each meeting and spoke up against the golf course’s blatant disregardfor the Ocean State’s public resources, and their bizarre attempt to circumnavigate CRMC’s long-established process for permitting coastal development.

In early 2025 CRMC voted unanimously to deny the rulemaking petition, although it remains to be seen how vigorously CRMC will pursue removal of the illegal wall. The US Army Corps of Engineers has an additional enforcement actionpending against QCC for the same violation.

Read BHA’s letter opposing QCC’s rulemaking petition

 

In the Press:

CRMC Schedules Public Hearing About Country Club’s Illegally Built Seawall - ecoRI News

Public comment pours in as RI Coastal Resources Management Council considers Quidnessett Country Club petition - Boston Globe

Quidnessett Country Club supporters and seawall opponents square off at CRMC - Boston Globe

Quidnessett Country Club seawall case heightens frustration with CRMC - Providence Journal

RI panel recommends rejecting country club petition to change water classification - Boston Globe

R.I. country club loses fight to reclassify waters at unpermitted seawall - Boston Globe

 

Issue: East Bay Bike Path

In 2023, BHA’s Rhode Island team opposed a proposal by RI’s Department of Transportation to replace the East Bay Bike Path bridges spanning the Barrington and Palmer rivers – popular fishing spots – with narrower replacements that would no longer provide access for anglers. The permitting agency, RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) revisited the application in May of 2024, after RIDOT updated their plans to provide fishing dedicated fishing access at both sites. The updated plans, including fishing access, were approved and are expected to be constructed in 2025.

 

In the Press:

East Bay Bike Path bridge reconstruction may soon get environmental OK - Providence Journal

R.I. coastal regulators OK East Bay Bike Path replacement bridges - Rhode Island Current

 

Issue: Dutch Island Aquaculture

BHA’s Rhode Island team participated in the preliminary determination hearings for two kelp farm applications near Dutch Island in 2023, and ultimately objected to application 2023-10-067, which  would both impact hunting opportunities and damage sea duck habitat within Dutch Island Harbor if granted. In November of 2024 2023-10-067 was scheduled for a hearing before RI’s Shellfish Advisory Panel – one of the first steps indicating that it might be moving towards approval by RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council.

In spite of aggressive opposition from BHA at the SAP’s November 13 meeting, the advisory panel found that the proposed activities would not “impact the exploitation of marine fisheries”, which is their narrow statutory focus. Rather than accepting the SAP’s recommendation, RI’s Marine Fisheries Council (MFC) chose to re-examine the application during their Monday December 2 meeting. BHA was present to re-iterate our objection, and the MFC ultimately chose to require the applicant conduct a legitimate survey of the proposed site and re-submit the application to the SAP for further consideration. Throughout our involvement BHA has scrutinized the lack of actual data provided by the applicant as a fundamental flaw in the application. RI law requires that RI’s Coastal Resources Management Council obtain a recommendation from the MFC before any aquaculture permit is granted, so by voting to not provide a recommendation at this point the MFC essentially froze 2023-10-067 until the applicant provides legitimate data.

 

 

 

 

You can help New England BHA continue our work on behalf or hunters’ and anglers’ access to public lands, waters and wildlife by joining Backcountry Hunters and Anglers today!

 

About Michael Woods

hunter, angler from Rhode Island. New England BHA Co-Chair

See other posts related to New England news New England issues