EPA To Give New York $311K For Beach Water Quality Monitoring

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — As peak beach season arrives in the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 office expects to award up to $311,000 to the New York State Department of Health to protect beach-goers. But not for this year.

NYSDOH is expected to receive $311,000 for the 2019 swimming season at about 350 beaches along the Long Island Sound, Atlantic coast, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

“New York’s beaches play a significant role in the state’s environmental, economic, and cultural prosperity, bringing in thousands of tourists every summer,” said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez. “This grant supports the New York State Department of Health’s vital program to alert New Yorkers and tourists alike when water quality problems exist.”

It is contingent upon the number of eligible recipients nationwide that apply for grant funds and the availability of funding.

Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, EPA awards grants to eligible state, territorial and tribal 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 warnings or closing the beach. Since 2002, state and local governments, territories, and tribes have used more than $157 million in EPA BEACH Act grants to monitor beaches for fecal indicator bacteria, maintain and operate public notification systems, identify local pollution sources, and report results of monitoring and notification activities to EPA. Grant funding under the BEACH ACT is part of a broader EPA effort to find and eliminate sources of water pollution that contribute to beach closures.

“Enjoying the beach is a quintessential pastime for Americans every summer,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Through EPA’s BEACH grants, we are ensuring communities across the country can keep their beaches safe and enjoyable for all.”

New York’s beach monitoring notification data can be found online here.

Map via NYSDOH