Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s latest nominee to a state council that regulates the coast is renewing calls for reform.
Michael Reuter, a podiatrist who has spent time on the Barrington Harbor Commission, was chosen last week to serve on the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council.
Some critics, including South Kingstown resident and shoreline access advocate Conrad Ferla, argue Reuter doesn’t have the necessary experience to make regulatory decisions.
“A foot doctor, to me, isn’t the qualifications we need for such an important position,” Ferla said.
Save The Bay Director of Advocacy Jed Thorp says, while his group isn’t formally opposing Reuter’s nomination, McKee’s pick underscores longstanding concerns about the CRMC.
The CRMC is responsible for making decisions on things like coastal permitting, environmental enforcement, wind energy projects, and public access to the shore. But the council is made up of political appointees who are not required to be subject matter experts.
“There’s a danger in having volunteers, regardless of their experience or qualifications, making day-to-day regulatory decisions and interpretations of state law,” Thorp said. “That work should really be left to the expert staff of scientists, geologists, and engineers.”
Thorp testified before the Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee earlier this week.
Save The Bay is supporting a bill that would abolish the politically-appointed CRMC. Instead, a new agency would be created to make decisions on coastal matters, known as the Department of Coastal Resources.
CRMC has been criticized for ignoring the recommendations of its professional staff when issuing decisions, some of which have been reversed by the courts.
A prominent critic of the council, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has backed the idea of creating a new Department of Coastal Resources, saying the state “must embrace real and lasting reform before it’s too late.”
The Rhode Island Senate is expected to vote on Dr. Reuter’s nomination on March 20.
This story was reported by The Public’s Radio.
