What is Rhode Island "Wise Use"

Raphael Cunniff

This thesis asks: what organizations constitute the "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island, who are the members and leaders of these organizations, what are their ideologies and goals, what strategies have they used to achieve these goals, and most importantly, how successful have they been? In addition, I sought to put the "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island in the context of the wider social and political "Wise Use" movement throughout the nation. To answer these questions, I researched popular and academic literature, consulted printed and web-based literature produced by the "Wise Use" movement, interviewed leaders and supporters of the "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island, and searched the Rhode Island legislative record for the influence of "Wise Use" ideology. The current "Wise Use" movement is a group of affiliated organizations which support weakening and altering of environmental regulations that apply to federal and private land use. There are two wings of the "Wise Use" movement. The western public lands "Wise Use" movement is concerned with regulations of federal land use, is based primarily in rural areas of western states, and is often funded by corporations. "Private Property Rights Movement" is concerned with private land use regulations, is primarily based in eastern suburban or urban areas, and is less often corporate funded. The "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island consists of two organizations: "Rhode Island Wise Use" and "Rhode Island Farm Bureau." The members and leaders of these organizations are primarily Caucasian, middle class property owners residing in the rural-suburban interface who have either had a conflict with environmental regulatory agencies or fear such a conflict in the near future. The ideologies of these two "Wise Use" organizations place them in the "Private Property Rights" wing of the "Wise Use" movement. They favor relaxing rules on private property owners, compensating private property owners for the loss of any "sensible" use of their land due to regulation, as well as simplifying and personalizing regulatory bureaucracies. Each organization has some features that do not entirely fit with the model of the "Private Property Rights" movement that I have presented. To achieve their goals these organizations engage in a wide range of activities - chiefly grassroots organizing and state lobbying. The greatest success of the "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island, has been the high visibility of its leaders in media. The "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island has also been moderately successful in the legislative arena, helping to introduce twelve "property rights" bills of varying strength into the Rhode Island Legislature. Recently, the "Wise Use" movement in Rhode Island has been especially visible due to the Kennedy Commission hearings on the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. These hearings made evident the greater extent to which "Wise Use" ideologies are held by individuals and organizations outside of "Rhode Island Wise Use" and "Rhode Island Farm Bureau."