The Rhode Island Shoreline Change Special Area Management Plan (Beach SAMP) aims to create policies for managing coastline development amidst erosion and flooding risks. Key objectives include public involvement, transparency, and using scientific data to inform decision-making, supported by stakeholder engagement and education initiatives. The project will encompass research collection, policy development, and an outreach campaign to improve understanding and foster adaptive management practices.

1. Rhode Island Shoreline Change
Special Area Management Plan
(Beach SAMP)
Project Overview

2. Project Goal
Through a public process help develop
innovative and practical policies and tools for
protecting and managing development along
shorelines vulnerable to erosion and flooding

3. Long-term Outcomes
• Strong erosion and inundation policies that
are publicly supported and implemented at
state and local levels
• Provide best available information and tools
to support sound decision making
• Improved understanding of potential impacts
will spill over to other planning initiatives

4. Principles
• Involve all stakeholders
• Maintain transparency
• Use best available science
• Acknowledge existing uses and plan for a
changing future
• Adaptive Management

5. Project Scope
1. Collection of New Research
2. Policy Development
3. Extensive Public Education/
Outreach Campaign

6. Coastal Resources Management Council
PROJECT MANAGER
Grover Fugate, Executive Director CRMC
Group of Community URI Project Management Team Senior Project Advisors
Leaders Jen McCann Michelle Carnevale
Jon Boothroyd Bryan Oakley
Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Research and Data Acquisition
Development
Economic Assessment: TBD
MUNICIPAL ADVISORY Shoreline Change, Erosion
BOARDS & and Inundation Mapping
STAKEHOLDER GROUP
TOWN MANAGER and Monitoring: Ecohistory/ Anecdotal
WORKING GROUP Jon Boothroyd & Bryan Oakley Accounts of Shoreline
Change: TBD
ADVOCACY & FEDERAL & STATE AGENCY
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD
Engineering Evaluation Legal Analysis of
GROUPS
and Recommendation of Alternative Development
Tools and Techniques for Schemes or Techniques
Effective and Adaptive used to Address Shoreline
TECHNICAL ADVISORY Development and
Management of Shoreline
COMMITTEES Rebuilding:
Segments: TBD
(to review deliverables) Roger Williams University

7. Research and Data Collection
• Shoreline Change, Erosion and
Inundation Mapping and Monitoring
• Economic Assessment
• Legal Analysis of Alternative
Development Schemes or Techniques
• Engineering Evaluation of Tools and
Techniques

9. Policy Development Scope
• Develop SAMP Regulatory Document
– Synthesize best available science and findings
from research
– Incorporate other state efforts
– New or Amended CRMC Policies & Standards
– Recommendations for Other State and Local
Government Agencies

10. Developing SAMP Document

11. Public Education/Outreach
• Communication Tools
– Webpage
– Fact Sheets
– Social Media
– Library Lecture Series
• Regular Stakeholder Meetings
• “Group of Community Leaders” to help get message out
• Videos and Ecohistory–
– Anecdotal Accounts of Shoreline Change and Personal Connections
• “Living with the Shoreline” Handbook/Guide

12. For More Information:
• Beach SAMP website:
www.seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coast/beachsamp.html
• Team Contact:
– Michelle Carnevale: M.Carnevale@crc.uri.edu

13. Next Steps:
• Regional “Issue Identification” Meetings
• Coordination Meetings with other State
Agencies
• Next Stakeholder Meeting
– May/June
– Topic Based on Your Input