In accordance with notice to member of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, a virtual meeting was held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. utilizing Zoom Meeting, and Council members participating remotely.

Members Present
Jennifer Cervenka, Chair
Raymond Coia, Vice Chair
Donald Gomez
Jerry Sahagian
Joy Montanaro
Ronald Gagnon, RIDEM
Michael Hudner
Trish Reynolds

Staff Present
Jeffrey Willis, Executive Director
James Boyd, Deputy Director
Leah Feldman, Coastal Policy Analyst
Anthony DeSisto, Legal Counsel
Ryan Moore, Moderator
Lisa Turner, Office Manager, Recording Secretary
Cindy Tangney, Court Reporter

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Cervenka called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. and identified the participants of the meeting, Council Members, Staff members, and applicants. The Chair stated that the meeting would be recorded.

2. Ryan Moore, Meeting Moderator, briefed participants on the meeting housekeeping items.

3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

Chair Cervenka called for a motion regarding the minutes for the February 23, 2021 Semi-monthly Meeting.

Motion approve the minutes of 02-23-2021.
Motion: Mr. Hudner
Second: Mr. Gomez

Roll Call Vote:
Vice Chair Coia Aye
Ms. Reynolds Abstain
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Mr. Gomez Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Chair Cervenka Aye

Motion Carried to approved minutes from 02-23-2021 meeting.

4. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:

Mr. Boyd updated the Council on the following:

• Raso Subcommittee Workshop proceedings
• Chair Cervenka stated that a second workshop would be scheduled to review the written recommendation that will be presented to the Council for final decision at a future Semimonthly meeting.

5. STAFF REPORTS:

Mr. Willis updated the Council on the following:

• Block Island cable installation stating an April or May completion.
• Vineyard Wind’s EIS from BOEM should be completed by end of year

6. REQUEST FOR FEE WAIVER:

2021-02-022 RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN -- Request Fee Waiver; Project: Maintain the Barrington Salt Marsh and dune restoration project.

Mr. Willis addressed the Council and stated that the Applicant was requesting a fee waiver for maintenance of a salt marsh restoration project previously approved by CRMC. Chair Cervenka clarified for the record that the Council was considering the Fee Waiver request only.

Mr. Willis explained that CRMC staff was generally supportive of approving fee waivers for large restoration projects.

Jack Silva, Vice President of Campus Services with Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), was present and stated that RISD was appreciative of CRMC support in regards to the restoration project and looked forward to continuing with Phase 2.

There were no comments heard from Council or from the public.

Mr. Sahagian motioned to approve the fee waiver with a second from Mr. Hudner.

Roll Call Vote:
Vice Chair Coia Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Mr. Gomez Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Chair Cervenka Aye

Motion to approve the request for fee waiver was passed.

7. 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 Friday, February 19, 2021 to rank the 9 full 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 2020-2021 funding cycle, seven are recommended for funding.

The projects recommended for full funding are:

1. Achieving Aquatic Connectivity in the Pawcatuck River at the Potter Hill Dam ($74,050)
2. Ten Mile River Restoration Dam Removal Assessment ($5,000)
3. Third Beach Dune Habitat Restoration – Phase II ($5,480)
4. Salt Marsh Adaptation at Ninigret and Quonochontaug sediment placement projects ($29,142)
5. Restoring coastal habitats and increasing stewardship of Common Fence Point ($16,037)
6. Woonasquatucket In Water and Bank Habitat Improvement Below Manton Dam ($58,000)
7. In-River barrier removals in the Mattatuxet River (Shady Lea) ($37,291)

The projects not recommended for funding at this time are:

1. Coastal Upland Restoration in Blackstone Park Conservation District
2. Slocum Reservoir Dam Spillway and Fishway

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.

2020-2021 Contingency List:

1. Coastal Upland Restoration in Blackstone Park Conservation District ($17,804)

Leah Feldman, CRMC Coastal Policy Analyst and Caitlin Chaffee, Reserve Manager, RIDEM Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NBERR) were both present.
Mr. Boyd disclosed for the record that he is a Board Trustee for The Nature Conservancy which was requesting funds through the Coastal Habitat Restoration Trust Fund.

Ms. Chaffee prepared a presentation for the Council about the Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Fund and gave background, application process information, funding recommendation process, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) membership, type of projects funded, restoration goals, and provided results for projects funded.

Ms. Chaffee explained that seven projects were selected for total funding of 225,000 with a match of 714,977 and that the projects selected were geographically distributed widely throughout the state.

Ms. Chaffee was available to answer questions about the projects and funding from Council.

Chair Cervenka asked about whether projects could repeat funding requests. Ms. Chaffee stated that with the maximum award being $50,000, many long-term projects request funding every year and are considered in the evaluation process.

Ms. Chaffee confirmed for Chair Cervenka that a project request with the ability for fund matching is part of the Committee’s evaluation process and the TAC Committee’s scoring mechanism does not take into account repeat funding requests so new projects and repeat projects are evaluated equally.

Ms. Chaffee explained the importance of the Bradford Dam stating that the restoration of the fish passage in the Pawcatuck River is a very important system ecologically and rates high in terms of habitat.

Ms. Chaffee explained that the two proposals that did not receive a recommendation for funding received feedback from the TAC Committee as well as suggestions on other funding options which would better suit their project’s needs.

Third Beach restoration funding was discussed and Ms. Chaffee explained that the area was not impacted by foot traffic and that they were awarded more than they asked for to allow for split rail fencing rather than snow fencing to direct pedestrians along the existing footpath without impacting the piping plover habitat and allowing for habitat movement.

Ms. Chaffee explained the TAC Committee was also recommended one contingent project for quick reallocation if another project’s plans fall through.

There were no further questions from Council

Mr. Hudner put forth a motion to approve the recommended seven projects with one contingent project. Mr. Gomez seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote:
Vice Chair Coia Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Mr. Gomez Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Chair Cervenka Aye

Motion to approve 7 project with contingency is approved.

8. Request for Executive Session pursuant to RIGL § 42-46-5(a)(2) litigation, discussion on Champlin's v. CRMC Supreme Court appeal.

Chair Cervenka recused herself due to conflict of interest and left meeting. Vice Chair Coia became meeting Chair.

Mr. Sahagian motioned, with a second from Mr. Hudner, to go into Executive Session.

Mr. Willis will also be present.

Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Gomez Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Vice Chair Coia Aye

Motion carried for the Council to enter Executive Session.

Mr. Sahagian motioned to leave Executive Session.

Mr. Hudner seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Gomez Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Vice Chair Coia Aye

Motion carried for the Council to leave Executive Session.

Mr. Sahagian motioned to seal the minutes from the Executive Session.

Mr. Hudner seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Gomez Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Vice Chair Coia Aye

Motion carried to seal the minutes from the Executive Session.

8. ADJOURN

Motion: Mr. Sahagian
Second: Mr. Hudner

Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Gomez Aye
Ms. Montanaro Aye
Ms. Reynolds Aye
Mr. Sahagian Aye
Mr. Gagnon Aye
Mr. Hudner Aye
Vice Chair Coia Aye

Meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa A. Turner
Recording Secretary

 

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