Reckless boaters and Jet-Skiers from Rhode Island are causing concern among Connecticut residents on Beach Pond in Voluntown, a lake that crosses the Connecticut border with Rhode Island, and has now spurred legislation to increase enforcement powers of state environmental conservation police officers who patrol waterways.
Rep. Brian Lanoue, R-Griswold, submitted testimony saying that Beach Pond “has developed into a critical situation as there has been an influx of individuals engaging in reckless behavior, such as operating Jet-Skis under the influence, leading to near misses and potential accidents.”
Lanoue listed several incidents, including near collisions between boaters and Jet-Skiers from Rhode Island traveling at high rates of speed and kayakers and swimmers. However, those same boaters and Jet-Skiers can just return to the Rhode Island side of the lake to avoid Connecticut law enforcement.
“While there has been law enforcement on the water, the lack of a clearly defined State border on the water complicates their efforts to maintain order effectively,” Lanoue continued. “Rather than trying to understand an invisible border over the water, it seems more practical to remove such boundary restrictions to facilitate access for law enforcement to address the disruptive element affecting our community.”
Tracey Hanson, first selectman of Voluntown, wrote in testimony that since Rhode Island opened a boat launch in 2015, boaters and Jet-Skiers “are constantly in violation of boating laws – operating high speeds in the no wake zone, operating recklessly, riding the wake of another watercraft while not maintaining 100 feet, and many even lack registration and an operator’s license.”
Hanson said lake law enforcement on the Rhode Island side of the lake doesn’t patrol as much because the Rhode Island side is smaller. “The enforcement of watercraft violations on Beach Pond has been a huge problem every boating season,” Hanson said.
Currently, only the Coast Guard can enforce boating laws on interior bodies of water that cross state boundaries, according to the bill analysis. While the legislation would expand Connecticut law enforcement’s ability to enforce boating laws “on any part of waters lying between Connecticut and a neighboring state,” there is a catch – Rhode Island must agree to it, as well as any other state where there are cross border lakes.
Commission of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Katie Dykes wrote in testimony that she appreciates the intent of the law but believes that the bill, which updates statutes passed in 1949, will be unenforceable “as neither Rhode Island, Massachusetts, nor New York has passed similar legislation that cedes enforcement authority, and the statute requires that as a condition of the statute being enforceable.”
“If this bill passes, it could create a false expectation that an EnCon Officer could enter another state to enforce their laws,” Dykes wrote in testimony.
However, during in-person testimony before the Environment Committee, Hanson said that she believed passage of the bill would lead to similar legislation in Rhode Island, noting that she is regularly in contact with Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM)
“I’ve been in communication with the Rhode Island DEM’s legislative director, and I’ve also been in contact, or will be in contact, with the state rep. for Exeter, Rhode Island to help get this through over there,” Hanson said, adding that because DEEP can’t patrol the lake often, she is working on creating a local lake patrol through a nonprofit.
Lanoue said that he joined Connecticut State Police patrolling the lake one day and they pursued someone who was openly drinking before having to call off the pursuit because they crossed back into Rhode Island territory. Lanoue said the lack of real enforcement capability disincentivizes law enforcement from expending time and resources to patrol.
“That’s why this bill is so crucial,” Lanoue said.
Hanson said she has been able to get the Coast Guard to come to the lake about once per year since the COVID pandemic.
The Environment Committee passed the legislation unanimously. Today the Public Safety and Security Committee also voted to advance the bill following a referral from the House.
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