Rhode Island
Illegal seawall still stands. State regulators sit on proposed change in development rules. • Rhode Island Current
More than a year has passed since state regulators fined a North Kingstown country club for building a seawall along its property line, without permission and in violation of state coastal regulations.
The 600-foot-long stone wall, built in January 2023, is still standing.
Meanwhile, a parallel but separate consideration of Quidnessett Country Club’s application to ease development restrictions — in turn, potentially, allowing a seawall — remains under review by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council after a panel punted a recommendation on Tuesday.
The Planning and Procedures Subcommittee’s 4-0 vote will give the country club and its attorney time to make the case for a permanent safeguard between its flagship golf course and the adjacent tidal waters.
“We haven’t seen the evidence yet as to why it’s necessary,” Anthony DeSisto, attorney for the CRMC, said in an interview after the meeting. “We have got to be fair to everyone.”
‘If we get sued’
Also on DeSisto’s mind: the threat of litigation, which has proven a popular route for various parties unhappy with coastal regulators’ decisions.
“If we get sued, we need to make sure there are no appealable issues,” DeSisto said.
The decision to delay a decision came after an hourlong presentation from the council’s coastal policy analysts, who, in a Sept. 20 report, recommended against Quidnessett’s petition to redesignate a section of tidal waters along its northeastern property line.
If approved, the April 12 petition would downgrade the water classification from the existing Type 1 “conservation area” to a less stringent Type 2 “low intensity use,” which could — though it doesn’t have to — allow for a permanent structure like a seawall. Under the existing designation, all permanent structures are banned.
Jennifer Cervenka, attorney for Quidnessett and former CRMC chair, pointed to nearby residential development and recreational use as reasons why the strict conservation designation should be reconsidered.
The staff in its report argued just the opposite, stressing the importance of the sensitive salt marshes surrounding the shoreline, along with marine wildlife, which were the very reason why the agency restricted development there in the first place — formally codified under state water type classifications created in the early 1980s.
“To suggest that shoreline characteristics have changed to the point where there is no longer a balanced relationship between the shoreline characteristics of mainland upland activities and the water type classification is to admit that a party has altered the shoreline’s characteristics in violation of [agency] rules and regulations,” the report stated.
A civil engineering firm hired by the country club backed its argument that a non-permanent structural barrier was insufficient to protect against rising sea levels and weather events. Yet the staff report said the “severe wave action” and shoreline erosion makes the area “particularly unsuitable for structures.”
Council staff also was unpersuaded by country club members’ focus on the golf course’s historic significance. The 18-hole golf course designed by architect Geoffrey Cornish opened in 1960, and is not listed in federal or state historic registers.
300 pages of public comments
As for the members-only club’s insistence that it is a key economic support for its employees and the many charities that host fundraisers there? “Anecdotal,” was the staff analysis, adding that a full cost-benefit analysis may be needed if the council considers advancing the club’s request to change the water type.
The 300 pages of written public comments received included a mix of support and opposition. Among the critics: Jim Boyd, former CRMC deputy director; the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General; and Save the Bay.
Jed Thorp, advocacy coordinator for Save the Bay, said he was disappointed in the lack of a decision Tuesday.
“The facts of the case aren’t going to change,” Thorp said. “The laws and the rules that the staff clearly laid out in the staff report aren’t going to change…. They should have denied the petition today.”
To Thorp, the delay also showcases shortcomings in the agency structure, in which the politically appointed council can — and does — defy recommendations of its expert staff. Save the Bay for years has petitioned state lawmakers to abolish the council and restructure the agency as an administrative authority, akin to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
The facts of the change aren’t going to change. The laws and the rules that the staff clearly laid out in the report aren’t going to change. They should have denied the petition today.
– Jed Thorp, advocacy coordinator for Save the Bay
“Given the council’s track record of ignoring staff recommendations, it’s unfortunately not surprising,” Thorp said.
Asked to respond to Thorp’s comment, Raymond Coia, CRMC chair, said in an interview after the meeting that the council has not decided against what its staff recommended. It hasn’t made a decision at all.
Cervenka, the country club’s attorney, and its owners, spoke during the July public hearing. But they have not submitted formal evidence, nor presented expert witnesses, Coia said.
The subcommittee is tentatively scheduled to take up this additional information at an October meeting. A subcommittee recommendation, for or against the reclassification petition, still requires final approval from the full, seven-member council.
“While we don’t agree with the conclusion of the staff report, we look forward to presenting our petition in the near future,” Mike Raia, a spokesperson for Quidnessett, said in an email Tuesday night. “We believe it will show that the change we seek is appropriate for this area of shoreline. What’s clear is that the climate is changing rapidly and the State of Rhode Island needs to modernize its regulatory processes to ensure that resilient infrastructure can be built at the speed of climate change. Rhode Island’s coastal businesses – big and small – cannot survive if resilient infrastructure investments take decades to get approved. We’ll continue to work with CRMC and other regulatory partners to find a path forward that protects our historic property and our cherished Bay.”
If the water reclassification is granted, the club must then apply for a permit to build any kind of permanent structure along the shoreline.
A separate review of the required plan to remove the existing seawall and restore the shoreline remains under review, CRMC Executive Director Jeff Willis said Tuesday.
Updated to include a response from Mike Raia on behalf of Quidnessett Country Club.
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Saturday, January 10, 2026
Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.
Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.
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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.
McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.
A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.
Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?
GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026
No public events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
2:00 PM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.
LOCATION:
RI State House Rotunda
82 Smith Street
Providence, RI
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026
No public events.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026
No public events.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026
9:30 AM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.
LOCATION:
Cross’ Mills Public Library
4417 Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026
11:00 AM
Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.
LOCATION:
CIC Providence
225 Dyer Street
Providence, RI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
No public events.
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Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal
Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.
Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”
The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.
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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.
“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.
Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island General Assembly Begins 2026 Session With Focus on Affordability – Newport Buzz
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session this week with a focus on health care affordability, housing costs and economic stability, as leaders in both chambers warned of uncertainty tied to federal budget changes.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi outlined House priorities centered on expanding access to health care while lowering costs, calling it the chamber’s top agenda item for the year. He also said lawmakers will continue addressing housing shortages and rising home energy costs, emphasizing the need for community input as policy decisions move forward.
In the Senate, President Valarie J. Lawson convened the chamber by urging bipartisan cooperation and announcing plans to introduce legislation supporting education, small businesses and the state’s health care system. Stabilizing hospitals and strengthening the primary care workforce were identified as key goals.
Both chambers paused to honor victims of the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, passing resolutions recognizing the victims and commending first responders. Lawmakers also observed a moment of silence.
New legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara would require the Department of Education to adopt a zero-tolerance hazing policy in partnership with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, mandating clear and consistent discipline statewide.
Meanwhile, Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart called on Gov. Dan McKee to fully fund public libraries in the upcoming state budget.
Speaker Shekarchi also announced several committee leadership changes, appointing Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee as chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith as chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.
The week also marked the first Senate session for Sen. Stefano V. Famiglietti, who received committee assignments following his election to fill a vacant seat.
Legislative leaders capped the week by joining faith leaders at the 18th annual Rhode Island Interfaith Poverty Vigil at the State House, calling attention to legislation aimed at reducing poverty statewide.
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