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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) gave the following remarks today at the New Jersey release of “Testing the Waters: A Guide to Beach Water Quality at Vacation Beaches”, the 17th annual national water quality report from Natural Resources Defense Council, in Sea Bright, New Jersey.
During this legislative session, Pallone has introduced two important pieces of environmental legislation: the BEACH Protection Act of 2007 and the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone Act of 2007. Pallone and U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the BEACH Protection Act to reauthorize and double the grant amounts found in the existing BEACH Act, legislation which the New Jersey lawmakers sponsored that became law in 2000. The BEACH Protection Act also enacts tougher water quality testing and communication standards.
Pallone also introduced the NY/NJ Clean Ocean Zone Act, which will help to protect and preserve the integrity of the New York/New Jersey Bight through designation and establishment of the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone.
"I'm honored to be joined today by so many environmental advocates who have worked for years to clean up and protect the Jersey Shore. Today, we are here to talk about water quality issues on our beaches. I want to thank the Natural Resource Defense Council for completing and releasing their 17th annual national water quality report, “Testing the Waters: A Guide to Beach Water Quality at Vacation Beaches”.
"We all know how important New Jersey's beaches are not only to residents of our state but also for countless visitors. Our beaches are a tremendous resource to enjoy, and a huge economic engine for our state. They are the primary driver of a tourism economy that means nearly 500,000 jobs and generates $36 billion in economic activities for the state each year.
"Each weekend, thousands of people flock to New Jersey beaches to enjoy the sun and the surf. During their visits we want our visitors to be assured that our beaches are clean. Thanks to the BEACH Act, a law that I helped author with Senator Lautenberg back in 2000, we have made some strides over the last six years. However, there is more to be done.
"The main purpose of the act was to create a grant program that helps states to develop and implement water quality testing and notification programs. New Jersey also used some of its grant money to become the first state in the nation to launch a real-time website that notifies beachgoers of the state of their beaches.
"Despite the actions New Jersey and other states have taken since the BEACH Act was signed into law, this Act must be improved. That's what why Sen. Lautenberg and I introduced the Beach Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 2537), which not only reauthorizes the grants to states through 2012, but also doubles the annual grant levels from a total $30 million under the old authorization to a new level of $60 million annually.
"The bill also expands the scope of BEACH Act grants from water quality monitoring and notification to include pollution source tracking and prevention efforts. It also requires that beach water quality violations are disclosed not only to the public, but to all relevant state agencies with beach water pollution authority.
"The Beach Protection Act mandates the use of rapid testing methods by requiring the EPA to approve the use of rapid testing methods that detect bathing water contamination in 2 hours or less. Grantees must use those methods within one year of approval.
"This is something that I have been advocating for several years. Current water quality monitoring tests, like those used here in New Jersey, only test for bacteria levels and take 24 to 48 hours to produce reliable results. During that time many beachgoers can be unknowingly exposed to harmful pathogens. More immediate results would prevent beaches from remaining open when high levels of bacteria are found.
"This legislation requires prompt communication with state environmental agencies by stating that all BEACH Act grant recipients make decisions about closures or advisories within 24 hours in order to ensure coordination in response activities.
"We are requiring each state receiving BEACH Act grants to: implement measures for tracking and identifying sources of beach water pollution; create a public online database for each beach with relevant pollution, closure, etc. information posted; and ensure that closures or advisories are issued shortly after the state finds coastal waters out of compliance with water quality standards.
"We are also holding states accountable by requiring the EPA Administrator to do annual reviews of grantees' compliance with BEACH Act process requirements. Grantees have one year to comply with the new environmental standards, otherwise they will be required to pay at least a 50 percent match for their grant until they come back into compliance.
"The Beach Protection Act will strengthen current law by requiring states to use expedited testing and by doubling the grant amounts available to states so they can meet stricter reporting standards.
"I am proud that this legislation goes further on environmental standards than any before by requiring tougher standards for beach water quality testing and communication.
"There is more that we must do to protect our coastal zones. Water quality can be affected by a number of factors and that is why I recently introduced the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone Act of 2007.
"The NY/NJ Clean Ocean Zone Act will help to restore, protect and preserve the natural, chemical, physical and biological integrity of the New York/New Jersey Bight through designation and establishment of the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone.
"This legislation will: prohibit the designation or establishment of new ocean dumpsites within the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone and terminate existing sites; prohibit discharges of pollutants into the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone from any new point sources, and prevent additional pollutant discharges from existing point sources; prohibit the permanent extraction of any nonrenewable natural resource from the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone for commercial or industrial use unless for maintenance or establishment of navigation channels, beach replenishment, flood control, erosion control, or habitat restoration on or along the shores of the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone; and prohibit the creation of any nonrenewable energy facility, pipeline, or deepwater port within the New Jersey/New York Clean Ocean Zone.
"We can not sit back and watch our beaches deteriorate. We must continue to advocate for strong laws that protect our coastal areas. Both of these initiatives will go a long way to improving water quality in the State of New Jersey. I look forward working with all of you as we move forward together to achieve these goals."
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