Attorney Wins Award for Paper on Coastal Zone Management

Attorney John Boehnert honored by Rhode Island Bar Association for article on federal Coastal Zone Management Act

The Rhode Island Bar Association honored Rhode Island real estate and environmental lawyer John M. Boehnert with the Rhode Island Bar Journal Lauren E. Jones Writing Award for his article “Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Management Program and the Coastal Zone Management Act’s Federal Consistency Program”.

The federal consistency program gives States the ability to challenge, and actually veto, federal permits sought by other states or private parties to engage in activities, even in federal waters, which may adversely impact a challenging state’s coastal zone management program.

For example, exercising its rights under the federal consistency program, a state could prevent an oil and gas company from receiving federal permits for drilling or exploration activity if it would be inconsistent with the enforceable policies of a state’s coastal resources management program.

Mr. Boehnert represented Weavers Cove Energy LLC, which proposed to develop a large liquefied natural gas facility in Fall River, Massachusetts, in its federal consistency filing before the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council related to proposed dredging activities in Rhode Island waters.

Mr. Boehnert is currently writing a book on zoning the oceans, the very recent efforts of states, supported by the federal government, to regulate offshore waters much the same as governments now regulate land.