By Rob Smith — The calls for reforming the state’s coastal management agency are growing stronger in the General Assembly. Last week, members of the Senate Environment and Agriculture Committee heard a package of five bills to overhaul the Coastal Resources Management Council, the regulatory agency responsible for permitting offshore wind, aquaculture, and development along Rhode Island’s more than 400 miles of coastline.

By Nancy Lavin — The state’s coastal regulatory agency is ripe for reform. But how much? This is the key question lawmakers, residents and coastal advocates are considering when it comes to the politically appointed Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council.