Advocacy
Clean
From our first efforts to prohibit smoking on Aquidneck Island in 2015 to creating over a dozen local ordinances in Rhode Island from 2017 to 2019 to eliminate single-use plastics bags, we recognize the importance of well-crafted advocacy efforts to achieve the goal to eliminate marine debris. In 2020 the statewide plastic bag bill is a priority for our grassroots advocacy efforts and earlier this year we have testified at the Senate and House hearing. The actual bills are here Senate Bill # 2003 and House Bill #7306. Our letters to each committee are here House Letter and Senate Letter. The Senate moved forward with their version of the bill and it was approved which is great news. To read some news coverage, check out these articles from the Providence Journal and ECORI. What remains for the statewide plastic bag bill is the House version of the Bill, which is more stringent (a good thing) however it is unlikely the Senate will adjust their version. The next step is for the House committee to re-introduce the bill into committee and hopefully make changes to align it to be equal to that of the Senate. If that were to happen, the next step would be for the full house to vote on it. Presuming it passes, then both bills would be with the Governor for signing into law.
Ocean
From our first efforts to raise awareness in 2006 of off-season pollution to projects for storm water pathogens in 2017 , virtual beach monitoring in 2018, and bacterial source tracking in 2019, we continue to take action to work toward year-round permanent clean water.
Access
From our founding efforts of a parking dispute in Newport, to adopting Tuckerman right of way in 2008, we have carefully built respect, recognition and moral integrity that allowed us to resolve the Cliff walk repairs issue in 2013 with a gentle touch rather than a legal approach. In 2020 new legislation was introduced and we are excited to part of the effort to put in place a change to Rhode Island State Law that allows residents to enjoy the coastline in the immediate range of where the ocean meets the land. While the proposed law may introduce some points of consideration that make it hard to enforce, we feel it strongly moves in the right direction. Whether you collect seaweed, enjoy riding waves, fishing or simply find peace by being near or in the ocean, we need to make sure that every resident of the state can enjoy the ocean and shoreline, and have the ability to move around freely at the water’s edge. Here are a few links to keep tabs as this moves forward: House Bill #7755 Senate Bill #2756 News Article
Marina Trash Skimmers
As of August 1, 2020 we do not have any advocacy action plans for this project.
Shrink Wrap Recycling
As of August 1, 2020 we do not have any advocacy action plans for this project.
Healthy Soils Healthy Seas Rhode Island
In 2020 state legislation was introduced to progress the Food Recover Incentive Policy to mandate any business generating more than 1 ton of food scraps per month must divert the material to composting. There are some exceptions to the rule, but we are glad that it made it into the House this year with House Bill #7868 and we testified on February 26, 2020 shortly before COVID-19 stopped this effort. This will continue into 2021.