Authorizes a property owner to pursue reasonable actions to protect their property from coastal hazards that affect life, infrastructure, or essential land uses without prior approval.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would allow Rhode Island property owners to take protective actions against coastal hazards — such as flooding, erosion, or storm damage — without having to get advance permission from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), which is the state agency that normally oversees activity along Rhode Island's coastline. Currently, property owners typically need to apply for and receive approval before making changes or improvements near the coast. This bill would create an exception to that process when there is a threat to life, infrastructure, or essential uses of the land.

The bill affects anyone who owns property along Rhode Island's coast, particularly those whose land is vulnerable to storm surges, rising water levels, or shoreline erosion. Under this legislation, those owners could move forward with "reasonable" protective measures — such as installing barriers, reinforcing structures, or other safeguards — without waiting for the standard regulatory review and approval process to be completed.

It is worth noting that this bill raises questions that lawmakers will likely debate, such as what counts as a "reasonable" action, who determines when a hazard is serious enough to bypass the normal approval process, and whether uncoordinated protective measures by individual property owners could affect neighboring properties or the broader coastal environment. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will undergo further review before any potential vote.