The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) has been hit hard by a Superior Court judge's decision to allow restaurateur Perry Raso to expand his shellfish empire with a scallop farm in Potter Pond in South Kingstown. The expansion was met with public outcry, with property residents arguing that the shellfish beds would interfere with recreational boating, fishing and other activities within the cove. Associate Justice Joseph Montalbano ruled that the council violated its own procedures, including failing to fully explain the rationale for its decision and contradicting a recommendation from a smaller subcommittee. He also violated its procedures by not giving public notice or opportunity for additional public input in the revisions Raso submitted after the final vote. The judge's order reopens the ongoing battle between Raso and property owners, who argued that the scallops interfered with their recreational activities.