R.I. needs a reformed council to protect its coastal resources – The Boston Globe

As a longtime resident of Jamestown, R.I., I appreciated Edward Fitzpatrick’s article on reforming the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (“Advocates press to replace R.I. coastal council,” Metro, May 14). For too many years we have been subjected to the whims of a 10-member council whose political appointees have made terrible decisions about protection, preservation, and wise use of our coastal resources. This has been a classic case of poor governance, lacking transparency and accountability.

We face growing existential challenges to our coastal environment from the global climate crisis and need a strong, intelligent governing body. Richard Langseth, an opponent of legislative measures to reform the agency, said, “There is no path in the proposed legislation to replace the CRMC Council with a meaningful entity with a similar structure.” Perhaps he has not read the bill, which clearly states that there will be “a community advisory committee [whose members] shall be knowledgeable in coastal law and/or policy” and accountable to the agency director.