CRMC Notice of Public Hearing
Sapowet cove and waters at low tide now protected by law.
Dear Save Seapowet Supporters,
The CRMC recently sent a Notice of Public Hearing for a meeting on Monday September 23 about the Bowen commercial aquaculture application.
Contrary to common sense, this application has not been dismissed by the CRMC! The CRMC seems reluctant to enforce the new law passed by Rhode Island’s General Assembly even though granting a permit for a commercial aquaculture operation in Sapowet Cove’s waters would violate the law.
The law (RI General Laws 32-1-5.2) states that the waters of Sapowet Cove “shall not be used for any purpose other than passive outdoor recreation.” This area must be preserved for non-commercial, passive recreational use and “shall not at any time be commercially developed or in any way modified from its current undeveloped state.” The law applied immediately upon passage on June 29. The Bowen application is a commercial operation and would violate the law.
The purpose of the hearing on September 23 is for the CRMC’s Hearing Officer to decide on a “Dispositive Motion” filed by Objectors who have asked for immediate dismissal because the application has been rendered moot by the enactment of the law. The Objectors “Dispositive Motion” provides legal argument to demonstrate that the Bowens have no vested interest nor vested rights to continue being considered in the CRMC’s aquaculture application process. The CRMC should have dismissed this application after the law went into effect. It’s common sense. A continuation of the administrative process being run by the CRMC is a waste of the state’s administrative and legal resources in addition to the legal costs incurred by private citizens to enforce a new state law.
Our community has been waiting over four years for the CRMC to dismiss this application because of the significant conflict the proposed location would create with recreational use of those waters among many other issues. Representative Edwards and Senator DiPalma have been working to protect this public area from intrusion by commercial ventures, too. With this new law, the Rhode Island General Assembly has declared the area protected from commercial activity now and in the future.
The public can attend in person or watch via Zoom through this link; Webinar ID: 833 8258 4947; Passcode: 148341 Please note that the CRMC’s notice states that the public will not be able to comment or speak at the upcoming hearing. Only those who have filed the formal legal objection or their lawyers will be able to speak.
If you would like to help with the continued legal defense, please consider donating to the GoFundMe campaign. We need your support. And thank you to those who have already provided generous financial support.
Save Seapowet!