Rhode Island Beach Fees Won't Go Up This Year

Following a public outcry from local lawmakers and Rhode Island residents, Department of Environmental Management officials said Tuesday that they are no longer looking to raise parking fees at beaches this year. The DEM proposed the fee hikes in February, saying the additional funds are needed to properly care for the state's parks and beaches.

"Rhode Islanders are fortunate to have access to an outstanding array of state parks and beaches. However, these places are being loved to death, and we must do more to support and maintain them," said DEM Director Janet Coit at the time. "The study that DEM commissioned makes clear that our fee structure is one of several aspects of our state parks system that is outdated, and the Governor's parks initiative pairs fee increases with service improvements. The increase to beach parking fees that we're proposing is small."

Coit said Monday that they are no longer looking to raise beach parking fees this year, the Associated Press reported. She added that the backlash to the proposal is taking away from the bigger goal of raising awareness of and celebrating Rhode Island's outdoor spaces.

Following the proposal, House lawmakers quickly introduced legislation that would freeze beach parking fees at their current rates for the next three years.

While beach parking fees will remain the same, the DEM says it is still looking to raise fees at campgrounds, a proposal that was criticized by Rep. Dennis Canario, who said the increases would make camping less accessible to low income residents.

"The camping fee increases are particularly egregious because the rate of increase is far more than the beach fee proposal," Canario wrote in a statement. "In some cases, camp site costs will increase 100%, for customers, which is not right and unreasonable. This will hurt our residents, tourists looking to enjoy our beautiful parks, and the small businesses that surround and rely upon tourists and residents using the camp grounds."

If the increases were approved, Tier One campsites would double to $30, Tier Two sites would increase to $25, and Tier Three sites would increase to $18 for Rhode Island residents.

In February, Governor Gina Raimondo proposed a $1.5 million investment in Rhode Island's state parks and beaches as part of the state's 2020 budget, saying increased staffing and general improvements are needed to keep them operational.

"Our beaches and parks are such a special part of who we are as Rhode Islanders, and we need to preserve them for future generations," Gov. Raimondo said at the time. "The study DEM commissioned recently makes clear that we're not doing enough now. It's critical that we commit to long-term investments in our parks and beaches. Let's make sure our kids have the same opportunities that we did."

A public hearing on the proposal is set for April 2.

READ MORE:

• Gov. Raimondo Proposes $1.5 Million For RI Parks And Beaches
• Proposed Rate Hikes Would Affect Beach Parking, Campsites
• Local Rep. 'Outraged' With Proposed Beach, Campsite Fee Hikes