In accordance with notice to members of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, a meeting was held on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in Conference Room A, Administration Building, One Capitol Hill, Providence, RI.

Members Present
Jennifer Cervenka, Chair
Raymond Coia, Vice Chair
Don Gomez
Jerry Sahagian
Ron Gagnon, RIDEM
Mike Hudner
Trish Reynolds

Members Excused
Michelle Collie
Joy Montanaro

Staff Present
Grover Fugate, Executive Director
Jeffrey Willis, Deputy Director
Caitlin Chaffee, Coastal Policy Analyst
Anthony DeSisto, Legal Counsel

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Cervenka called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

Chair Cervenka called for approval of minutes for the February 25, 2020 meeting:

• Motion: Chair Cervenka
• Second: Mr. Hudner

Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

3. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

None heard.

4. STAFF REPORTS

None heard.

5. COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION TRUST FUND APPLICATIONS BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND DECISION:

The RI Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Team’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) convened on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 to rank the 7 final proposals submitted to CRMC for consideration of funding under the state’s Coastal and Estuary Habitat Restoration Trust Fund. Of the proposals reviewed for the 2019-2020 funding cycle, seven are recommended for funding.

The projects recommended for full funding are:

1. Walker Farm Shoreline Restoration, Barrington ($27,450)
2. Goosewing Salt Marsh Restoration, Little Compton ($6,000)
3. Lower Kickemuit Dam Removal Assessment and Engineering, Warren ($75,000)
4. Third Beach Dune Habitat Restoration, Middletown ($4,900)
5. Improving Fish Passage at Belville Fish Ladder, North Kingstown ($66,000)
6. Reducing Coastal Erosion at Rose Larissa Park, East Providence ($40,000)

The projects recommended for partial funding are:

1. Edge Restoration in Blackstone Park Conservation District ($5,650)

In addition, the committee has created a contingency list of projects to be funded in the event that a project recommended for funding is unable to go forward or the requested funds are not needed due to unforeseen circumstances.

2019-2020 Contingency List:

1. Remainder of requested funds for Edge Restoration in Blackstone Park Conservation District ($52,325)

Ms. Chaffee addressed the Council explaining that once a year CRMC allocates $225,000 from the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Account to habitat restoration through the Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Trust Fund. Ms. Chaffee stated that through a Technical Advisory Committee applications are reviewed and the committee makes recommendations to the Council for funding of the projects for the fiscal year. Ms. Chaffee gave a bit of background of the program explaining that they are in the 17th year and that so far, $3.6 million dollars in state restoration funds to 136 individual restoration projects has been awarded. Ms. Chaffee stated that state funding has leveraged more than $28 million dollars. Ms. Chaffee stated that any project that is not directly being leveraged with project funding helps to support the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.

Ms. Chaffee showed a brief power point presentation on previous projects and their progress over the years. Ms. Chaffee showed the Council the progress on the Ninigret Back-Barrier Marsh in which CRMC managed. Ms. Chaffee explained that the project was to raise the elevation of a drowning marsh which was in distress due to sea level rise.

Ms. Chaffee explained that for this year, the TAC reviewed and recommended funding for seven projects with six projects receiving full funding and Blackstone Park Conservation District a reduced amount.

Council Questions:

Mr. Gomez asked about the success of the fish ladder projects. Ms. Chaffee stated that the fish ladder projects might benefit from being monitored due to condition changes such as flow, or require design tweaks. Mr. Gomez asked if the fish passages were herring or salmon. Ms. Chaffee stated that it was mostly River Herring.

Ms. Reynolds asked about the Ninigret project and the amount of dredge material used. Ms. Chaffee stated that the amount used was required to reach a certain elevation and then the remaining sand from the dredge project was pumped to the beach.

Chair Cervenka asked about recurring applications for funding over the years. Ms. Chaffee confirmed for the Chair that some applicants are advised to phase their projects so that they can be funded over a period of time. Chair Cervenka asked if there is a required match for funding. Ms. Chaffee stated that there is not a hard match requirement but most often there is a certain match because our funds are a required match for federal funding and we do ask the applicant to detail other funding that they are receiving for the project. Chair Cervenka asked about the number of applicants. Ms. Chaffee stated that the number of applicants varies from year to year and we may need to do a bit of public outreach. Ms. Chaffee also stated that part of the $250,000 goes to DEM for administrative costs.

Chair Cervenka asked about the technical committee’s criteria. Ms. Chaffee stated that there is a standard evaluation criteria sheet that the committee uses when reviewing applications.

Ms. Chaffee explained that the members of the Technical Advisory Committee are for the most part the same from year to year although new members are added and sometimes members recuse themselves for a year.

With no further questions from the Council, the Chair asked for a motion.

Mr. Hudner motioned, seconded by Mr. Gomez, for the approval of the funding requests.
Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Gomez commended Mr. Chaffee on a job well done with concurrence from the rest of the Council.

7. ADJOURN

Motion to Adjourn:
Motion: Chair Cervenka
Second: Vice Chair Coia
Motion carried on unanimous voice vote.

Meeting adjourned at: 6:25 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa A. Turner
Recording Secretary

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