BOSTON (June 13, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $9.75 million in grant funding to help coastal and Great Lakes communities protect the health of beachgoers. The funding will assist many states, Tribes, and territories in conducting water quality monitoring and public notification programs for their beaches, including New Hampshire, who will receive $194,000 in grant funding from this program.
“It is such an exciting time of the year for everyone to get outdoors and head out to waterways to have fun and cool off. The last thing anyone wants to have to think about, is if it’s safe to go in the water,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “With the BEACH Act funding, Massachusetts residents can have the peace of mind that our water quality at beaches is being monitored and protected, and we are all working together to make this summer the best it can be, and focus on splashing in the waves and soaking up the sun…with sunscreen, of course.”
Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, the EPA awards grants to eligible state, Tribal, and territorial applicants to help them and their local government partners monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches. When bacteria levels are too high for safe swimming, these agencies notify the public by posting beach advisories or closings.
Since 2001, the EPA has awarded nearly $230 million in BEACH Act grants to test beach waters for illness-causing bacteria, identify the sources of pollution problems, and help notify the public. Three factors influenced the EPA’s allocations for the 2024 grant amounts: (1) the length of the beach season, (2) the number of miles of shoreline, and (3) the populations of coastal counties.
To be eligible for BEACH Act grants, states, Tribes, and territories must have coastal and Great Lakes recreational waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access used by the public. They must also have a water quality standards program and EPA-approved numeric recreational water quality standards for coastal waters. Additionally, eligible entities must meet 11 performance criteria for implementing monitoring, assessment, and notification components of the beach program.
The EPA’s 2024 BEACH Act grant funding will be allocated to the following states, Tribes, and territories contingent upon their meeting the eligibility requirements:
EPA Region 1
Connecticut Department of Public Health – $206,000
Maine Department of Environmental Protection – $254,000
Massachusetts Department of Public Health – $254,000
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services – $194,000
Rhode Island Department of Health – $210,000
More information on BEACH Act grants.
Check the relevant state, Tribal or territorial beach program website for closing or advisory information at a particular beach.
Source link
Region 01 www.epa.gov
