Supreme Court Strikes a Blow for Property Rights - As... -
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Published on: 7/16/2001
Last Visited: 8/8/2001
Brian A. Goldman , legal counsel to the state's Coastal Resources Management Council , said that development on the property would be devastating to the environment.
Westerly , in the southwestern section of the state , is on the Connecticut border , separated only by the Pawcatuck River.The state's eastern and southern borders are on the water , and the sea has always been an integral part of Rhode Island's heritage.
Coastal marshlands provide a filtering mechanism that prevents pollution in ponds and the ocean , and also are breeding grounds for fish and shellfish , Goldman said.
''To destroy 18 acres of salt marsh would have an effect not only on the pollution levels ... but also on commercial fishing , '' Goldman said.
The ''takings'' issue resonates with conservatives and lobbying groups that view many federal and state environmental land-use laws as capricious and fundamentally unfair to private property owners.