CRMC celebrates adoption of Greenwich Bay SAMP with signing event

June 17, 2005, WARWICK— To celebrate the hard work and contributions of some of the major stakeholders who developed and adopted the RI Coastal Resources Management Council’s Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan, the Council held a special signing ceremony on Friday, June 17 at Warwick City Hall.

As part of the ceremony, Michael M. Tikoian, CRMC Chairman, Robert Ballou, Chief of Staff at the RI Department of Environmental Management, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, Michael Isaacs, president of the East Greenwich Town Council and Jack Early, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, signed a letter of commitment to continue their work in achieving the goals of the SAMP.

The letter of commitment, which each of the officials signed, read, “We, the undersigned, are committed to striving to uphold and fulfill the goals of the Greenwich Bay SAMP, along with the RI Coastal Resources Management Council. These goals are:

• To develop leaders and stewards to coordinate and implement actions that protect the unique resources of Greenwich Bay;
• Improve Greenwich Bay’s water quality so that it is a safe place to fish and swim;
• Maintain high quality fish and wildlife habitat in the Greenwich Bay watershed;
• Improve recreational opportunities on Greenwich Bay and its shoreline; and
• Enhance water-dependent economic development on Greenwich Bay and its shoreline to maintain the area’s unique sense of place.

“The Greenwich Bay SAMP is the result of more than two years of hard work, and we’d like to recognize all of those officials, organizations, agencies and people who aided in the development of this plan and everyone now charged with implementing it,” said CRMC Chairman Tikoia, at the event. “This ceremonial signing of a letter of commitment will serve as a figurative passing of the torch.

“The Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan will ensure that the natural resources of the bay and watershed are properly managed, and that there will be a more organized and sensitive plan for future development,” Tikoian added. “It will safeguard the bay and watershed’s integrity for future generations.”

The Chairman also congratulated the members of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee, which was recently honored with the American Fisheries Society’s Citizens Aquatic Conservation Award. The award was presented to Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian in honor of the late Leah Robinson.

Tikoian also announced that the Council has secured, from the General Assembly, a full-time position for handling all of the CRMC’s Special Area Management Plans.

The SAMP still requires signatures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) and the R.I. Secretary of State.