Aren beaches tested to make sure that they are safe?
State and local health and environmental officials are responsible for monitoring water quality at our nation’s beaches. When they find contaminated water, they may post warnings or close the beach. Coastal beach monitoring has significantly improved in recent years due to passage of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 (BEACH Act), which provides assistance to state and local governments to develop monitoring programs. According to NRDC’s annual beach report, “Testing the Waters,” 79 percent of beaches that provided data to the EPA and NRDC were monitored at least once a week in 2007. But many beaches are still not monitored regularly, in part because Congress has never fully funded the BEACH Act. In April 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Beach Protection Act that would provide federal funds to improve and expand beach monitoring. If enacted, the bill would require the EPA to approve a rapid testing method to monitor the safety of beach w
State and local health and environmental officials are responsible for monitoring water quality at our nation’s beaches. When they find contaminated water, they may post warnings or close the beach. Coastal beach monitoring has significantly improved in recent years due to passage of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 (BEACH Act), which provides assistance to state and local governments to develop monitoring programs. According to NRDC’s annual beach report, Testing the Waters, 47 percent of beaches that reported to the EPA and NRDC were monitored at least once a week in 2008. But many beaches still are not monitored regularly, in part because Congress has never fully funded the BEACH Act. Congress is considering the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act, which would provide federal funds to improve and expand beach monitoring. If enacted, the legislation would require the EPA to approve, and states to use, a rapid testing method to monitor th
