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While it is still too cold to go to the beach in most parts of the country, EPA works year-round on ensuring beach visits are well-planned and safe for everyone. By providing states an additional $9.75 million in beach grants in 2008, EPA is helping states continue to monitor water quality at beaches and notify the public of beach warnings and closings when bacteria levels rise too high. More information about the Beach Grants.
Improving public health and environmental protection for United States beaches.
The Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Program focuses on the following five areas to meet the goals of improving public health and environmental protection for beach goers and providing the public with information about the quality of their beach water:
- strengthening beach standards and testing
- providing faster laboratory test methods
- predicting pollution
- investing in health and methods research
- informing the public
What's New
- Recreational Criteria Critical Path Science Plan; Development Plan and Schedule for the Development of New or Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria (EPA 823-R-08-002 & EPA 823-R-08-003; August 2007)
- EPA is making $9.75 million in grants available to protect public health at the Nation's beaches (Jan 2008)
- Report of the Experts Scientific Workshop on Critical Research Needs for the Development of New or Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria (EPA 823-R-07-006; June 2007)
- 2006 Swimming Season Update (May 2007)
Features
- Clean Beaches Plan
- Our two major goals:
- promote recreational water quality programs nationwide, and
- create scientific improvements that support timely recreational water monitoring and reporting.
- Our two major goals:
- Grants
- Awarded to eligible coastal and Great Lakes states, territories, and tribes to develop and implement beach monitoring and notification programs
- Survey Summary
- Yearly information on beach water quality monitoring, beach advisories and closings, pollution sources, and state and local beach program contacts
- Find your Beach
- Find the latest information on your beach that states have sent to EPA
