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6/13/2024
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Lawmakers approve wetlands buffer bill to encourage housing
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STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly today approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Terri Cortvriend and Sen. Mark P. McKenney to simplify wetlands zoning regulations to prevent unnecessary complications that discourage housing development.
The bill, which now heads to the governor’s desk, is part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s 15-bill package of legislation to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.
The legislation (2024-H 7982, 2024-S 2994) amends provisions relative to the application of zoning ordinances pertaining to wetland buffers to projects for development, redevelopment, construction or rehabilitation. It makes clear that there can be no local regulation of coastal wetlands and freshwater wetlands beyond the requirements of the state agency requirements. The legislation does not take away any responsibility from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) or the Department of Environmental Management (DEM).
“As a founding member of the Aquidneck Island Climate Caucus and someone who has spent my life in the marine trades, I understand how absolutely vital it is to protect our coasts and our wetlands,” said Representative Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth). “That’s why I support having strong, uniform, statewide regulations that defend them from irresponsible development. This should not vary from one place to another, both for the sake of protecting our resources and to prevent unnecessary complications that stand in the way of the development of the housing our state desperately needs.”
Said Senator McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), “My district is both coastal and densely developed. I’m attuned to the importance of protecting our wetlands from encroachment. But realistically, the patchwork of state and local regulatory processes and requirements are prohibitively complicated. All our wetlands deserve the same strong level of protection, and we have state agencies that are resourced and capable of enforcing them. Making them uniform statewide tells developers more clearly what the standards are, so they can do the work of building development, particularly housing, that our state needs.”
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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