To Preserve and Protect the public right to Coastal Access in Rhode Island
Our Mission is to cultivate public awareness and foster civic engagement for the preservation of Rhode Island's coastline and our state constitutional rights to shoreline access. By creating a grassroots network of individuals, organizations, agencies, businesses, and lawmakers engaged in education, advocacy, and policy making, we may better protect Rhode Island’s coastal environment, and preserve equitable public access for current and future generations.
Rhode Island Constitution ; Article 1, Section 17:
The people shall continue to enjoy and freely exercise all the rights of fishery, and the privileges of the shore, to which they have been heretofore entitled under the charter and usages of this state, including but not limited to fishing from the shore, the gathering of seaweed, leaving the shore to swim in the sea and passage along the shore; and they shall be secure in their rights to the use and enjoyment of the natural resources of the state with due regard for the preservation of their values;
Education.
Cultivate public awareness of existing ROWs and public rights so citizens may continue to best exercise those rights to their fullest extent, while also educating new coastal homeowners about RI constitutional law for harmonious coastal living among all Rhode Islanders
Engagement.
Participate in identifying, documenting, reclaiming, and expanding coastal Rights of Way in Rhode Island through the monitoring of ROW access points, documenting encroachments, and reporting violations, while continuing to support allies with similar missions of coastal access preservation
Advocacy.
Expose and oppose legislation, ordinances, or shoreline development that reduces or thwarts public access, and encourage legislation that would further codify the coastal access mission into Rhode Island law — on both state and local levels — through enforcement or clarification of existing regulations, while developing new policies to better protect access for future generations