Rhode Island Leading in Ocean Management

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, PhD, joined Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, US Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and other national and state leaders to recognise the pioneering Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Ocean SAMP). This ocean management plan facilitates the development of offshore projects that could lead to the creation of hundreds of wind energy jobs and balance energy development with transportation, fishing, recreation and environmental stewardship along the state's coast and adjacent federal waters.  

The Ocean SAMP area spans approximately 1,467 square miles over portions of Block Island Sound, Rhode Island Sound, and the Atlantic Ocean. It was developed over the course of two years by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council with the assistance of the University of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Sea Grant program and Roger Williams University, along with input from many other state, federal, tribal and local agencies, as well as other interested parties and the public.

After this approval, Rhode Island becomes the first state to have incorporated a comprehensive ocean special area management plan in its coastal zone management programme. This approval means that enforceable policies in the Ocean SAMP for protecting existing activities such as fishing, important habitats and archaeological resources, and identifying areas suitable for energy projects, may be applied to federal actions in federal waters.

 

Using the best available science, the Ocean SAMP provides an understanding of Rhode Island's complex and rich ecosystems. It covers topics including renewable energy and other offshore development, marine transportation and infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, and global climate change.