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Washington, D.C. --- The U.S. House of Representatives tonight passed legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Tim Bishop (D-NY) that requires tough new beach water quality testing and public notification standards so beachgoers are better informed about the safety of their beaches.
The Beach Protection Act of 2007 reauthorizes the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, which was authored by Pallone and U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and signed into law by President Clinton in 2000.
Under the BEACH Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was required to work with states to ensure they used the latest science to sample and test beach waters to protect the public's health. States were also required to notify the public if tests showed water quality standards were violated. The law also helped states set up comprehensive monitoring and notification programs in order to provide up-to-date information on the condition of all public beaches.
For the first time, the legislation passed today mandates EPA develop rapid testing procedures not currently available that detect bathing water contamination in six hours or less so that beaches can be closed shortly thereafter. Current water quality monitoring tests only test for bacteria levels and take 24 to 48 hours to produce reliable results, during which time many beachgoers can be unknowingly exposed to harmful pathogens.
The legislation also increases from $30 million to $40 million the amount of grant money available annually to states through 2012, and expands the scope of the grants to also include pollution source tracking and prevention efforts.
"I commend my colleagues for approving this legislation, which makes significant improvements to current law by establishing essential rapid water testing methods and allowing funds to be used for tracking pollution," Pallone said. "Rapid testing methods are necessary to ensure that those beaches designated as polluted can be shut down immediately to protect public health. This legislation is an important investment in ensuring the protection of beachgoers and the environment, and I look forward to a vote in the Senate in the near future."
"I am pleased that my colleagues in the House of Representatives affirmed the importance of this bill," Bishop said. "The BEACH Act is a vital tool to protect the environment and the health of families who enjoy our nation's beaches. In my district on Long Island, we treasure our beaches, and families need to feel confident that we will protect their health and safety."
Across the country, American families and international tourists make over 2 billion trips each year to America's beaches to fish, sunbathe, boat, swim, surf, and bird-watch. Our coastal areas produce 85 percent of all U.S. tourism dollars, fueling a huge economic engine. |
