Outdoors in RI: Op-ed calling for accuracy in gun crime data. $2M for 13 projects to protect habitats

A month of gun legislation coming up in Rhode Island

Did you know? Guns and wildlife restoration

The 1937 Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act took the revenues from an existing federal excise tax on gun manufacturers and reallocated them to state wildlife agencies. The law, also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act in recognition of its sponsors in Congress, was enacted out of concern for declines in wildlife populations caused by overhunting and habitat loss.  The idea was to make the users of outdoors spaces, primarily hunters at the time, pay for protecting those areas. A similar law was later written for the sports fishing industry, the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act. While Pittman-Robertson has been considered successful, critics contend it creates policy conflicts and, as hunting has declined and gun ownership increased, entangles conservation with gun violence.

Under the law, firearms, ammunition and archery equipment are taxed at manufacture or import. With a 10% tax on handguns and an 11% tax on everything else – rifles, shotguns, machine guns, ammunition, and archery equipment. 

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An op ed – The distortion of Rhode Island’s gun crime data: A call for transparency and accountability

Gun crime reporting should serve as an objective measure of public safety, guiding lawmakers, the media, and advocacy organizations in their efforts to shape policy. Unfortunately, Rhode Island’s Attorney General’s Office has, for the past two years, released reports on gun crimes that are riddled with inconsistencies and statistical distortions. The 2023 Gun Crimes Report, much like its 2022 predecessor, misrepresents the actual number of crimes committed within the reporting year and instead conflates past cases spanning decades. This practice creates a false narrative that fuels misguided public perception and is weaponized by anti-gun lobbying groups to justify restrictive legislation that penalizes law-abiding citizens rather than addressing criminal behavior.

The law governing Rhode Island’s gun crime reporting, R.I.G.L. 42-9-12.1, explicitly mandates that the Attorney General’s Office provide an annual report detailing gun-related crimes prosecuted in the previous calendar year. However, the 2023 Gun Crimes Report includes cases as far back as 1976. By doing so, the report artificially inflates the number of gun crimes, distorting the true state of firearms-related offenses in Rhode Island. Instead of accurately assessing crime trends year over year, this manipulation creates an illusion of increasing gun crime—an illusion readily adopted by media outlets and advocacy groups such as the Giffords Law Center, Everytown for Gun Safety, and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence.

A closer analysis of the actual data reveals an entirely different story. In 2022, the Attorney General reported 799 gun crimes, but only 261 were actually committed and charged within that year. In 2023, the reported number was 833, yet only 233 crimes were committed and charged in the reporting period. Contrary to the Attorney General’s assertion that gun crimes increased, the reality is that they declined from 261 to 233. This evidence suggests that Rhode Island’s existing gun laws are effective, but that success is buried beneath a misleading statistical presentation designed to fit a specific political narrative.

Further scrutiny of the data reveals that Rhode Island is the safest states in the nation regarding gun crimes. The overwhelming majority of gun-related offenses involve handguns, with 81% of all gun-related cases falling into this category. Despite this, legislators continue to push for sweeping firearm bans targeting features unrelated to crime, rather than focusing on enforcing existing laws or addressing repeat offenders. Notably, 55% of individuals committing gun-related crimes are repeat offenders, yet most receive minimal sentences. In 2023, 70% of cases resulted in no jail time, with offenders receiving suspended sentences or probation. This raises an important question: Are the Attorney General’s prosecutions serving as a deterrent, or are they merely feeding into a revolving door of crime?

Additionally, a large percentage of firearm charges linked to domestic violence and drug-related offenses are dismissed. In 2023, 71% of domestic violence cases and 77% of drug cases had some firearm-related charges dismissed. This statistic underscores the broader issue: rather than ensuring criminals are held accountable, prosecutors are allowing serious firearm charges to be dropped while simultaneously calling for additional firearm restrictions on law-abiding citizens.

The release of misleading gun crime reports has real-world consequences. These statistics are used by advocacy groups and legislators to justify laws that have little bearing on actual crime. In many cases, these laws target legal gun owners, instantly turning thousands of responsible citizens into felons overnight for possessing firearms or accessories that have no demonstrable link to increased crime. When legislation is built upon manipulated data, it does nothing to address the root causes of violence—it merely infringes on constitutional rights and fosters division among Rhode Islanders.

It is time for Rhode Island’s General Assembly to take action. R.I.G.L. 42-9-12.1 must be revised to ensure that the Attorney General’s annual report is transparent, accurate, and unambiguous. The report should be required to distinctly separate cases from the reporting year from those of previous years. Only by enforcing stricter reporting standards can we ensure that firearm policy is based on factual, relevant data rather than distorted figures that serve a political agenda.

Rhode Island’s citizens deserve better. They deserve laws that address actual crime, not fabricated statistics. They deserve a justice system that holds repeat offenders accountable, not one that prioritizes political posturing over public safety. Most importantly, they deserve honesty from their elected officials. Anything less is a disservice to the people of this state and an affront to the very principles of justice and democracy. 

Sincerely, Dan K. Kesler, 945 Greenville Ave., Greenville, RI 02828 [email protected]

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NOTE: RINewsToday accepts op eds to inform our readers on emergent issues ([email protected])

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Resilience Projects receive over $2M in funding

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) announce thirteen projects are receiving over $2M in funding from the first round of the 2024 Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience (OSCAR) Fund Program. This financial assistance is for adaptation and resilience projects that protect or enhance coastal or riverine habitats to address the impacts of climate change. 

The following approved projects were selected through a competitive review process by representatives from CRMC, DEM, the Rhode Island Division of Planning, and the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA).  

“When it comes to the potential impact of rising waters and extreme weather events, the Ocean State must be a leader in climate resiliency,” said Governor Dan McKee. “These OSCAR grants are helping Rhode Island communities protect and plan for the future.”

“Rhode Island is confronting significant and varied impacts from climate change, particularly coastal threats like sea level rise and storm surge along our over 400 miles of coastline,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “These OSCAR grants are providing funding to protect and strengthen the vital functions that coastal and riverine habitats play in mitigating the most severe impacts of climate change in our communities.”

“The CRMC is excited to work with RIIB and DEM on this project to support impactful and inventive projects that protect crucial habitat, encourage resiliency in Rhode Island communities in the face of increased impacts from sea level rise and erosion, and safeguard and enhance public access to the shore,” said CRMC Executive Director Jeffrey Willis. 

Planning and Design Projects:

Town of Coventry – Improved Designs for Mitigating Flood Risks and Improving Aquatic Habitats – $275,000

The Town of Coventry will retain consultants to design replacements of two undersized culverts that are associated with repeated riverine flooding. The project will focus on open-bottom culvert designs that will enhance the passage of aquatic organisms. The targeted locations involve crossings of the Flat River at Maple Valley Road and at Franklin Road. The new designs will enhance resiliency to the increased frequency and size of rainstorms, will reduce flooding impacts including erosion, and will enhance protection of water quality and aquatic habitat. 

City of Cranston – Implementing Nature-Based Solutions through Two Pilot Projects – $225,000

The City of Cranston, working with consultants, will undertake a two-part, City-wide flood study to identify public areas where restoration of degraded wetland habitat and other flood mitigation measures can be implemented to enhance resiliency. The work will focus on river and stream corridors and lead to the development of conceptual design alternatives for two pilot projects for flood-prone areas associated with Furnace Hill Brook and Bellefont Brook.  

Town of Hopkinton – Restoring Aquatic Organism Passage and Reducing Flooding at Canonchet Road in Hopkinton – $150,000

The Town of Hopkinton, in partnership with Save the Bay, will retain consultants to design a replacement of an undersized culvert to reduce road flooding and restore stream passage for aquatic organisms in a portion of Canonchet Brook that is designated as cold-water trout habitat. Upgrading the culvert to an open-bottom stream crossing design will enhance stream connectivity and minimize flooding events during the more intense precipitation events being experienced in and projected for RI.  

City of Newport – Restoring Marsh Habitat and Public Green Spaces at South Easton Pond – $150,000

The City of Newport, with assistance from consultants, will complete a comprehensive study to evaluate the site conditions of the drainage channel along South Easton Pond and create a restoration plan that utilize bioengineering and nature-based strategies to improve erosion control and bank stabilization. Additionally, the project will identify an approach to restoring existing marshland habitat and creating new marsh habitat.  The project will also plan for increased public access via an extended walking path. 

Town of North Kingstown – Town Beach Sea Wall Revetment – $300,000

The Town of North Kingstown will procure engineering services to enhance the resilience of the town beach. The project plan is to relocate and redesign the existing seawall as well as stormwater controls at the facility. The existing seawall has sustained damage from storms including overtopping by bay waters during weather events, scouring creating voids and shifting of stones. The project builds on earlier work and collaboration with CRMC and Save The Bay on the technically feasible solutions to enhancing long-term resiliency at the beach complex.

City of Pawtucket – Moshassuck River Urban Restoration Program – $250,000 

The City of Pawtucket will retain consultants to complete a study of its portion of the Moshassuck River to address on-going climate and ecological resilience challenges in this urbanized area. The project will evaluate site conditions, identify flood-prone areas, and assess invasive species and public access. With stakeholder engagement, the project will develop and assess alternative strategies, including nature-based solutions, to address the ecological and climate resilience concerns.  

City of Providence – India Point Park Shoreline Improvement Project – $400,000

The City of Providence will address the challenges of climate change and shoreline degradation due to increased storm events and tidal inundation at India Point Park located at the confluence of the estuarine Seekonk and Providence Rivers.  The City will retain consulting services to conduct additional technical feasibility and design work for select park shoreline improvement projects which will prioritize nature-based solutions and may include living shorelines, wetland restoration, vegetated buffers, and protective reefs.  

DEM Division of Planning and Development – Improving Resilience at Gull Cove Public Shoreline Access Point, Portsmouth – $50,000

DEM will complete planning and design for enhancing the public access site at Gull Cove in Portsmouth by restoring degraded areas, creating safe shoreline access, and minimizing negative impacts to shoreline habitats from human activity. The project will involve minimization of impervious surfaces, redesign of parking to keep vehicles out of flood or erosion prone areas, and re-vegetation of shoreline habitat.  

City of Warwick – Pawtuxet Park Waterfront Improvement Project – $193,000

Building upon a prior planning and community engagement, the City of Warwick with assistance from engineering consultants will complete further planning, design and permitting tasks related to improvements that will enhance resiliency and address existing habitat degradation at Pawtuxet Park located adjacent to Pawtuxet Cove. Key aspects of the project involve restoring and enhancing shoreline natural habitats including vegetated buffers. Living shoreline approaches will be designed to mitigate erosion and provide greater resilience against storms.  

Implementation/Construction Projects:

Town of Bristol – Low Lane Resilience and Right of Way Improvements – $257,690

The Town of Bristol will retain engineering and construction services to design and implement site improvements at the Low Lane public right of way that leads to the waters of the upper East Passage of Narragansett Bay. The planned improvements will address severe erosion associated with increased frequency of intense rainfall events through improved stormwater controls. Additional plantings to improve upland habitat are also expected.  

Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association, Cranston – Restoring Resilience of Stillhouse Cove Park – $59,150

The Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association, in collaboration with the City of Cranston and other partners, will complete permitting and implementation of a nature-based shoreline stabilization projects aimed at addressing erosion which has worsened due to recent successive storms. The approach, developed in consultation with CRMC, will involve coir logs and native plantings. The project will improve the resilience of Stillhouse Cove Park and enhance protection of the vegetated bluff habitat as well as salt marsh associated with a brackish creek. 

Town of Jamestown – Mackerel Cove Dune Restoration and Resiliency – $199,400

The Town of Jamestown will undertake a project to develop and implement a strategy to restore and stabilize the sand dunes at Mackerel Cove to protect Beavertail Road from flooding and sustain essential habitat for migrating and nesting birds and pollinators. Consultants will be hired to conduct a resiliency study of the area and develop a dune restoration plan in coordination with the Jamestown Conservation Commission. A cost-benefit analysis will be employed to select an approach with permitting to follow.  

DEM Division of Planning and Development – Enhancing Coastal Resilience and Safe Public Access at Black Point, Narragansett, RI – $100,000

Within the state-owned Black Point Access Point Property in Narragansett, this project will undertake implementation of work to repair, stabilize and enhance the resilience of the heavily used primary shoreline access trail. The site improvements will preserve public access by installation of stairs and nature-based best management practices for stormwater management among other components. The project will reduce site erosion and enhance protection of the rocky shore habitat.  

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