The Beach Bill

The Senate passed the BEACH bill by unanimous consent. The bill requires coastal (including Great Lakes) states to adopt EPA-recommended, health-based standards for recreational beach water, improves monitoring and public notification programs, and authorizes $30 million annually in grants to assist states in their upgrades. Currently, beach water monitoring programs vary considerably among the states (and even within some states), and few states have adopted EPA’s 1986 recommended criteria. Senators Lautenberg and Smith (NH) and their staffs worked long hours to finalize a bill enviros support and coastal states accept.

American Oceans Campaign, Natural Resources Defense Council, Surfrider Foundation, Center for Marine Conservation, Clean Water Network and 100s of local groups have spent years trying to get the BEACH bill passed. Thanks to everyone who helped generate reports, phone calls, action alerts, post cards, press stories, and provided other assistance.

From the Winter 2001 issue of the Environmental News.