WRPI — RI Beach Erosion Commission considering solutions as state loses 2 feet of land each year

Jan 15, 2025

By Kate Wilkinson — PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) — With powerful storms battering local beaches, a newly-formed commission is trying come up with solutions for the urgent problems erosion is creating for Rhode Island’s coastline.

According to the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), a quasi-government agency, 95% of the state’s coast is experiencing erosion.

With the state losing about 2 feet each year, the commission is racing against the clock to address a problem that’s already here.

“There are only a few spots [in Rhode Island] that have gained sand,” CRMC coastal geologist Emily Hall said.

The commission is in the early stages of exploring its options, hearing from experts with the Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday.

The federal agency discussed options that have been used to fight back erosion across the east coast, including adding sand and dredging.

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