Citation:

Mulvaney, K., J. Twichell, N. Merrill, AND J. Bousquin. Landscape-scale inequities in Rhode Island coastal access. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council Shoreline Public Access Series, NA, RI, June 30, 2021.

Impact/Purpose:

Coastal access is an important environmental amenity that provides recreational, subsistence, and other social opportunities. We analyzed the relative access of coastal access within Rhode Island based on demographic characteristics of different communities and found disparities in access.

Description:

Rhode Island has more than 400 public access points for its coastal waters. These sites vary in terms of use, location, and water quality. We used equity mapping methods to investigate the relative access of coastal access sites by people of different demographic groups. We also investigated if the differences were greater for coastal waters without a history of impairments. The distances to coastal access points and beaches were shorter with increases in proportion of population who identified as white and farther with increases in proportion of the population who identified as Black or Latinx. The distances were even more disparate for access to unimpaired waters.

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