The Coastal Resources Management Council is a management agency with regulatory functions. Its primary responsibility is for the preservation, protection, development and where possible the restoration of the coastal areas of the state via the issuance of permits for work with the coastal zone of the state.
The CRMC is administered by a council who are appointed representatives of the public and state and local government, and a staff of professional engineers, biologists, environmental scientists, and marine resources specialists. It is a state agency created by the General Assembly that balances economic considerations with environmental protection. The decision-making process of the CRMC is conducted in the public eye through regular public hearings. In this manner, the public is given regular opportunities to formally input their comments on how the coastal resources of the state should be managed in Rhode Island.
