CRMC, RI Sea Grant to hold webinar on municipal role in shoreline public access

Third free webinar is final of summer educational series on shoreline public access issues

September 13, 2021, WAKEFIELD — The R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and Rhode Island Sea Grant (RISG) are hosting the third and final webinar in a series aimed at informing the public on issues related to shoreline public access in Rhode Island.

The webinar, “Shoreline Rights-of-Way: The Role of Towns and the CRMC’s Adopt-an-Access Program,” will take place on September 16, 2021 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. It will feature Andrew Nota, East Greenwich town manager, Barbara Ray, public access representative for the North Kingstown Harbor Commission, as well as Rich Hittinger, first vice president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA), and will focus on coastal access issues in municipalities, as well as the work they are conducting to facilitate and improve shoreline public access, and the role of groups such as RISAA and the CRMC’s Adopt-an-Access Program.

The summer webinars will be followed by additional educational opportunities organized by the CRMC and Sea Grant as part of a larger effort to improve shoreline public access, awareness, and education. The CRMC is also working to designate more rights-of-ways in locations throughout Rhode Island, including underserved and urban communities.

“This summer’s webinar series has highlighted the public’s appetite for learning more about a variety of topics on shoreline public access,” said CRMC Executive Director Jeffrey Willis. “From the basic regulations and duties of the CRMC, and environmental justice and shoreline access in underserved communities, to the role of municipalities in preserving and enhancing shoreline access, the response from the public has been clear: shoreline public access is an important issue and one we will continue to work on at the CRMC.”

Check the CRMC web site for additional information and resources pertaining to shoreline public access, as well as the previous two webinar videos and summaries - www.crmc.ri.gov/publicaccess.html, as well as www.shoreline-ri.com. To register for this webinar (RSVPs are required to reserve a space), go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shoreline-rights-of-way-the-role-of-towns-crmcs-adopt-an-access-program-tickets-169340571207. Those who register will be permitted to ask questions in advance of the webinar, and there will also be time at the end of the session for questions and answers.