Skip to ContentSitemap

YouTubeFacebookTwittereNewsletter SignUp

CRMC Logo

RI Coastal Resources Management Council

...to preserve, protect, develop, and restore coastal resources for all Rhode Islanders

Ocean SAMP Draft Document Archive
DRAFT Full Ocean SAMP Document

Ocean SAMP Appendix: Technical Reports

  1. The Planning and Policy Context by Kenneth Payne
  2. Characterizing the Physical Oceanography of Coastal Waters Off Rhode Island, Part 1: Literature Review, Available Observations, and A Representative Model Simulation by Daniel L. Codiga and David S. Ullman
  3. Characterizing the Physical Oceanography of Coastal Waters Off Rhode Island, Part 2: New Observations of Water Properties, Currents, and Waves by Daniel L. Codiga and David S. Ullman
  4. Benthic Habitat Distribution and Subsurface Geology in Selected Sites from the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Study Area by Monique LaFrance, Emily Shumchenia, John King, Robert Pockalny, Bryan Oakley, Sheldon Pratt, Jon Boothroyd
  5. Investigations into Block Island's Submerged Cultural Sites and Landscapes for the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan 2010 by Rod Mather and John Jensen
  6. High Resolution Modeling of Meteorological, Hydrodynamic, Wave and Sediment processes in the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP study area by Stephan Grilli and Jeffrey Harris, et al.
  7. Typical Meteorological Conditions and Occurrence of Disturbances in Support of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP by John Merrill
  8. Analysis of Extreme Wave Climates in Rhode Island Waters South of Block Island by T.G. Asher, Annette Grilli, Stephan Grilli, and Malcolm L. Spaulding
  9. Spatial and Temporal Variability of Surface Chlorophyll, Primary Production, and Benthic Metabolism in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds by Scott Nixon, Stephen Granger, Candace Oviatt, Lindsey Fields, Jeff Mercer
  10. Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of Narragansett Bay, Block Island Sound, Rhode Island Sound, and Nearby Waters: An Analysis of Existing Data for the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan by Robert D. Kenney and Kathleen J. Vigness-Raposa
  11. The Spatial Distribution, Abundance, and Flight Ecology of Birds in Nearshore and Offshore Waters of Rhode Island by Peter W.C. Paton, Scott R. McWilliams, Kristopher J. Winiarski and Carol L. Trocki
  12. Acoustic Noise, and Electromagnetic Study in Support of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP by James Miller, Gopu R. Potty, Kathleen Vigness-Raposa, David Casagrande, Lisa A. Miller, Jeffrey Nystuen, and Peter M. Scheifele
  13. Baseline Characterization: Data sources, methods, and results (Chapter 5. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Appendix A) by Erin Bohaboy, Anna Malek, and Jeremy Collie
  14. Fisheries Ecology and Benthic Habitat in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds for the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan 2010 by Anna Malek, Jeremy Collie, Monique LaFrance and John King
  15. Fisheries Activity Maps: Methods and Data Sources (Chapter 5. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Appendix B) by Tiffany Smythe, Sarah Smith, and Dave Beutel
  16. Application of Technology Development Index and Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Methods to Ocean Renewable Energy Facility Siting by Malcolm L. Spaulding, Annette Grilli, Christopher Damon, and Grover Fugate
  17. High Resolution Application of the Technology Development Index (TDI) in State Waters South of Block Island by Annette Grilli, Malcolm L. Spaulding, Christopher Damon, and Ravi Sharma
  18. Development of a Technology Type Factor for Jacket Structures for Offshore Wind Turbines in Rhode Island by M.S. Ravi Sharma, Jonas Hensel, Christopher D.P. Baxter, and Sau-Lon James Hu
  19. Wind Resource Assessment in the Vicinity of a Small, Low Relief Coastal Island by Malcolm L. Spaulding, Ravi Sharma, Annette Grilli, Marty Bell, Alex Crosby, and Lauren Decker
  20. Evaluation of Wind Statistics and Energy Resources in Southern RI Coastal Waters by Annette Grilli, Malcolm L. Spaulding, Alex Crosby, and Ravi Sharma
  21. Meteorological Model based Wind Resource Assessment in the Vicinity of Block Island by Malcolm L. Spaulding, Marty Bell, Jay Titlow, Annette Grilli, Ravi Sharma, Lauren Decker and Daniel Mendelsohn
  22. Report of the Ocean Special Area Management Plan Stakeholder Process to the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council by Kenneth Payne
  23. Ecological and Service Valuation, a Principal Component and Cluster Analysis Approach: An Ecological and Service Typology in the Ocean SAMP Area by Annette R. Grilli and Tania Lado
  24. The Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment: Implications for the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP region. The Nature Conservancy, Rhode Island Chapter, Providence, RI. by Kevin Ruddock
Ocean SAMP Chapter Archive
  Public Notices, Comments, and Previous Drafts
Full Document

Executive Summary

  • See Full Document Above

Chapter 1. Introduction

The Ocean SAMP Introduction Chapter provides an overview of the SAMP area and the SAMP document, laying the foundation for the subsequent chapters which describe the present status of the Ocean SAMP study area, characterize the natural attributes and resources of this body of water, describe current uses, identify and review existing and potential future use impacts, and present policies and recommendations that will help federal, state, and local governments work with the people of Rhode Island to wisely manage the Ocean SAMP study area for this and future generations.

Chapter 2. Ecology of the SAMP Region

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Ecology Chapter is to provide a broad overview of SAMP area ecosystem: its geology, wind patterns, air and water temperatures, salinity, water currents and circulation, chemical oceanography, phytoplankton, zooplankton, ichthyplankton, the benthos, fish, megafauna (whales, seals, turtles) and avifauna (birds). With the Ocean SAMP region being a busy maritime entryway to both Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound, it is critical that the complex ecological and biological dynamics of this transitional sea area be increasingly studied and understood for appropriate resources management.

Chapter 3. Global Climate Change

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Climate Change Chapter is to observe past climate trends across global and local scales, consider climate change projections in the future as suggested by existing scientific studies and models, and examine what these climate change trends mean for the marine ecosystem of the Ocean SAMP area and human activities related to the Ocean SAMP.

Chapter 4. Cultural and Historic Resources

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Cultural and Historical Resources Chapter is to inventory some of these key offshore resources, especially as they relate to pre-contact tribal landscapes and historic shipwrecks, in order to more fully describe their critical value to Rhode Island and its marine ecosystem, and to provide important information for the evaluation of future offshore renewable energy development proposals.

Chapter 5. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries

The purposes of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Fisheries Resources and Uses Chapter are to summarize existing information about current commercial and recreational fisheries resources and activities within the Ocean SAMP area; highlight the economic, social, cultural, and historic value of these activities to Rhode Island; and outline policies for managing these activities within the context of other existing and future uses. Accordingly, this chapter focuses primarily on commercially and recreationally important species that are targeted within the SAMP area by Rhode Island fishermen, and on current baseline conditions based on the best available existing data and information.

Chapter 6. Recreation & Tourism

The purpose of the Ocean Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) Recreation and Tourism Chapter is to provide information on the types, locations, and value of marine recreational and coastal tourism activities within the Ocean SAMP area. In addition, this chapter outlines policies for managing these uses.

Chapter 7. Marine Transportation, Navigation, and Infrastructure

The purpose of the Marine Transportation, Navigation and Infrastructure Chapter is to provide information on commercial, military, government and support vessels, and infrastructure that comprise the SAMP area elements of the nation's marine transportation system within the Ocean SAMP area.

Chapter 8. Renewable Energy

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Renewable Energy and Other Offshore Development Chapter is to address potential sites in Rhode Island state and federal waters for the location of offshore renewable energy resources projects, and to describe the potential effects that renewable energy development may have on the
economics of Rhode Island, natural resources, and existing uses of the SAMP area.

Chapter 9. Other Future Uses

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Future Uses Chapter is to explore opportunities for the future uses of the SAMP ocean area - the inner shelf - of Block Island and Rhode Island Sounds, and discuss the potentials of these to help develop further Rhode Island's ocean and green economies.

Chapter 10. Existing Statutes, Regulations, and Policies

The purpose of the Rhode Island Ocean SAMP Existing Statutes Chapter is to provide a broad overview of those state and federal regulations which are most relevant to governance of uses within the Ocean SAMP area, as this area encompasses both state and federal waters. These key statutes, regulations, and policies have associated regulatory provisions that provide direction for, and regulation and management of, these ocean resources and uses.

Chapter 11. The Policies of the Ocean SAMP

While a number of federal and state statutes, regulations, and policies now govern the uses of the areas contained within the Ocean SAMP, additional provisions are needed to provide policy direction for, and regulation and management of, new ocean resources and uses, as well as to enhance management of existing activities. The Ocean SAMP New Policies Chapter addresses these emerging policies (see the Ocean SAMP Existing Policies Chapter for information about policy measures currently in operation in the Ocean SAMP area).

  • See Full Document Above

The CRMC Ocean SAMP subcommittee unanimously approved the public review process for Ocean SAMP rulemaking on October 15, 2009. Prior to approval, this process was discussed at the October 6th Ocean SAMP stakeholder meeting and public comments were heard during a public meeting on the October 15th. Download the public process document.

Stedman Government Center
Suite 116, 4808 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879-1900
Voice 401-783-3370 • Fax 401-783-2069 • E-Mail cstaff1@crmc.ri.gov

RI SealRI.gov
An Official Rhode Island State Website