650-RICR-20-00-1. Red Book (version Periodic Refile, 10/09/2003 to 09/05/2013)

Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program Rev. Pg. 12/11/00 Page 1 Glossary Glossary agency. Boards, commissions, departments, or offices thereof, other than the legislature or the courts, authorized by law to make rules, determine contested cases, or issue permits. agricultural land. (1) Tilled or tillable land upon which a crop is being or has recently been pro- duced; (2) actively managed orchards, nurseries and cranberry bogs, and (3) land used for livestock pasturing. alterations to freshwater flows to tidal waters and water bodies and coastal ponds. See Section 310. anadromous fish. Oceanic or estuarine species that spawn in fresh water. aquaculture. See Section 300.11 areas of historic and archaeological significance. See Section 220. barrier beach. See Section 210.2. beach grass. The dominant vegetative cover of sand dunes (Ammophila spp.). beach pavilion. Recreational structure constructed for recreational purposes on a shoreline feature, its contiguous area, or in tidal waters that serves members of the public, owned by a municipal, state, or federal program. breachway. A connecting channel, usually between a coastal pond and the ocean, which permits water exchange between the two. breakwaters and jetties. See Section 300.7. buffer zone. A land area on or contiguous to a shoreline feature that is retained in its natural undisturbed condition. bulkhead. See Section 300.7. cease and desist orders. See Section 170. coastal beaches and dunes. See Section 210.1. coastal headlands, bluffs, and cliffs. See Section 210.4 Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program Rev. Pg. 12/11/00 Page 2 Glossary coastal environment. The complete system of living organisms and physical surroundings within the waters and shorelands of estuaries, the nearshore ocean and the terrestrial areas influenced by this system. coastal ponds. A coastal lagoon usually located behind a barrier which, in its natural condition, permanently or occasionally exchanges waters with the ocean. coastal wetlands. See Section 210.3 and 300.18 compelling public purpose. Of such concern to the public welfare that it outweighs private of individual interests. Council. The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. Council meeting. Any meeting of the full Council or a subcommittee. Council representative. A person appointed or employed as the Council's representative or agent. depositing shore. A shore which is accumulating sand or other sediments, as opposed to a shore which is eroding. developed barrier beaches. See Section 210.2 development. Any material change in the use of any structure or land or water body, including but not limited to any building mining, dredging, fillings, excavation, or drilling operation: alteration of the shore, rivers, streams, lakes or ponds: devegetation, demolition, deposition of fill, solid or liquid waste: construction, installation, reconstruction of a structure: a change in the type of class or use of land: or a material increase in the intensity of use. discharge. Any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping either directly or indirectly to the waters of the state of Rhode Island. dune. See Section 210.7 ecosystem. A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. effluents. The outflow from a river, a pipe, or other watercourse. energy-related activities and structures. See Section 300.8. estuary. A semi-closed body of water that has free connection with the open sea within which seawater is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage. eutrophication. Nutrient enrichment to the aquatic environment, leading to excessive growth to aquatic plants, which can detrimentally alter water quality parameters, particularly oxygen concentration. fauna. Animal life. filling in tidal waters. See Section 300.10. filling on shoreline features. See Section 300.2. floating business. See Section 300.5. flora. Plant life. footprint. The square footage of the ground floor area encompassed by the structural foundation of a building. glacial till. Unconsolidated and unsorted material left by the movement of glaciers, consisting of clay, sand, gravel, and boulders. grading of shoreline features. See Section 300.2. groin. See Section 300.7. houseboat. See Section 300.5. hydrologic. Related to water. individual sewage disposal system (ISDS). See Section 300.6 larva. The early form of an animal that at birth or hatching is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose before assuming the adult form. launching ramp. See Section 300.4. license. Includes the whole or part of any agency permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter, or similar form of permission required by law, no including those required solely for revenue purposes. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program Rev. Pg. 12/11/00 Page 3 Glossary longshore current. A current that flows parallel and adjacent to the shoreline. maintenance of structures. See Section 300.14. manmade shoreline. See Section 210.6. marina. See Section 300.4. mosquito control ditching. See Section 300.12. municipal harbor regulations. See Section 300.15. ocean dumping. Disposal of non-dredged waste materials from vessels or by other means into marine waters: ocean dumping does not include discharges of effluent incidental to the operation of vessels, the dumping of fish wastes, or the placement or deposit of materials on the sea floor for the purpose of enhancing fisheries. one-hundred-year flood level. The area above mean high water which has a probability of being flooded once in a one-hundred-year period. The line has been designated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. person. Any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental subdivision, or public or private organization of any character other than an agency. petroleum hydrocarbons. A compound origin- ating from an oil, gas, or other petroleum base, and composed primarily or hydrogen and carbon. petroleum products. Includes crude or refined oils, kerosene, gasoline, natural gas, or liquified natural gas (LNG), liquified petroleum gas (LPG), synthetic natural gas (methane or SNG), or other petroleum derivatives. physiographic features. A landform or element of the landscape. plankton. Small, suspended aquatic plants and animals which drift or swim weakly in the water column. priority of use. Reflection of the Council's assessment of those uses deemed most likely to be consistent with adopted Council policies and regulations. Program. As stated in this document, the State of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program. public roadways, bridges, and parking lots, railroad lines and airports. See Section 300.13. recreation. Any voluntary experience engaged primarily during leisure time from which the individual derives satisfaction. recreational mooring area. See Section 300.4. removing a shoreline feature. See Section 300.2 residential boating facilities. See Section 300.4. residential, commercial, industrial, and public recreational structures. See Section 300.3. restoration. Return to a condition closely resembling a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition. restoration orders. See Section 170. revetment. See Section 300.7. riparian rights. The rights of a person owning land containing or bordering on a watercourse related to access to the water, certain privileges regarding its uses, and the benefits of accretions and relictions. riprap. See Section 300.7. rocky shore. See Section 210.5. runoff. That portion of precipitation which is not absorbed into the ground and which drains naturally or through manmade channels to surface water bodies. scarp. A line of cliffs, bluffs produced by faulting or erosion. seawall. See Section 300.7. sedimentation. The settling to the bottom of suspended sediments. setbacks. The minimum distance from the inland boundary of a coastal feature at which an approved activity or alteration may be permitted. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program Rev. Pg. 12/11/00 Page 4 Glossary sewage. See Section 300.6. sewage treatment plant. See Section 300.6. shoreline category/type. One of the seven categories of Rhode Island Shoreline designated as part of this Program. shoreline protection facilities. See Section 300.7. significant damage to the environment. Detriment, harm, or destruction of the environment, as opposed to damage of trivial consequence. siltation curtains. Devices placed in the water during a dredging operation or other activity which resuspends bottom sediments in order to prevent the spreading of those sediments. Special Exceptions. See Section 130. storm surge. An elevation in the sea surface from the effects of a storm. substantive objections. See Section 110.3. undue hardship. An inappropriate, unsuitable, unlawful, or excessive standard or requirement levied upon an applicant. variance. See Section 120. violation and enforcement actions. See Section 170. water-dependent activity use. Activities or uses which can only be conducted on, in, over, or adjacent to tidal waters or coastal ponds because the use requires access to the water from transportation, recreation, energy production, or source of water: also includes non-water- dependent activities that provide access to the shore to broad segments of the public. water use category/type. One of six use designations assigned to Rhode Island coastal waters as part of this Program.