![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081105062934im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
EPA Beach Program Publishes National List of Beaches
As Required Under BEACH Act
October 2008; EPA 823-F-08-007
EPA is announcing the availability of the updated National List of Beaches. The National List of Beaches is a picture of the extent of beach monitoring in U.S. coastal and Great Lake waters. The List provides information to the public about beaches in their state. It will also help EPA determine how to better implement the BEACH Act. EPA compiled this list using information submitted by states and territories to EPA as of January 31, 2008.
- Background on the BEACH Act
- National List of Beaches
- For more information
- Federal Register Notice | Print Version (PDF) (2 pp., 88 K; About PDF) (October 6, 2008)
Background on the BEACH Act
Each year state, tribal, and local health and environmental protection agencies monitor the quality of water at the Nation's beaches. When bacteria levels in the water are too high, these agencies notify the public of beach warnings or closings. Each state manages its local monitoring and notification programs to protect swimmers.
To improve water quality testing at the beach and to help beach managers better inform the public when there are water quality problems, Congress passed the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) in October 2000. This Act authorizes EPA to award grants to eligible states, tribes, and territories to develop and implement beach water quality monitoring programs at coastal and Great Lakes recreational waters near beaches. These grants also support the development and implementation of programs to inform the public about the risk of exposure to disease-causing microorganisms in the waters at the Nation's beaches. As a condition of receipt of a grant under the BEACH Act, a State or local government monitoring and notification program must provide lists of coastal recreation waters in the State, including coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public.
National List of Beaches
The BEACH Act also requires that EPA to identify and publish a list of discrete coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used buy the public. The Agency must also identify whether there is a monitoring (and notification) program for each beach. EPA first published the National List of Beaches on May 4, 2004. States and territories have been submitting updated information about their beaches since then. In 2007, states and territories identified 6,237 beaches, of which 3,647 were monitored and 2,590 were not monitored. EPA is now revising and publishing the National List of Beaches for a second time.
The National List of Beaches provides a national baseline of the extent of state and territorial beach monitoring across the country. It provides information to the public about beaches in their state. The National List of Beaches also helps EPA measure improvements in monitoring and notification at all coastal and Great Lakes beaches. EPA intends to update this list periodically based on information received from states and territories. EPA will publish in the Federal Register periodic updates to the National List of Beaches.
- 2008 National List of Beaches (PDF) (4.3 MB, 160 pp.; About PDF)
EPA intends to update this list periodically based on information received from states and territories. EPA will publish notice in the Federal Register of any revisions to the National List of Beaches.
For More Information
For more information on the National List of Beaches, please contact your EPA Regional beach program representative for information about specific states or Lars Wilcut (wilcut.lars@epa.gov) at 202-566–0447. You can also find information on the beach program, beach grants, and a list of regional contacts.
