Bilbray Generates Wave of Support for America's Beaches

Press Release

In a bipartisan move to clean up America's coastal waters, the House of Representatives this evening voted to reauthorize and expand the Beaches Environmental and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, which was originally introduced by Congressman Brian Bilbray and passed into law in 2000. The House today also endorsed Bilbray's amendment that could lead to a dramatically improved water testing system in which results could be determined in a matter of hours not days.

"From the golden sands of California to the wispy shores of New England, this is a major victory for the nation's beaches," said Bilbray, who as a San Diego County Supervisor in the 1980's and 90's championed clean water initiatives and created the county's Department of Environmental Health, which monitors beach water.

"America's beaches - especially those in the San Diego region - are not only beautiful, but are also a great source of recreation for both residents and tourists alike," added the avid surfer, boater and former lifeguard. "We must do all we can to ensure that these national treasures are as clean and healthy as possible,"

Since its passage in 2000, the BEACH Act has produced significant improvements. The number of beaches that are routinely tested for harmful bacteria has increased from 1,000 in 1997 to 3,500 in 2004, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the BEACH Act has strengthened water quality standards throughout the United States - the number of coastal and Great Lakes states with up-to-date water quality criteria has increased from 11 in 2000 to 35 in 2004.

Today's action to expand and reauthorize the BEACH Act through 2012 will:

- Increase by 33 percent (from $30 to $40 million) the amount of funding available each year for the BEACH Act grant program, which provides funding to local governments for water monitoring and notification efforts. Authorized spending will total $200 million through 2012.

- Require the Environmental Protection Agency' Administrator to publish criteria for use of "rapid testing methods" to be used by states with the aim of reducing the testing period of coastal water quality from 72 hours to 2 or 3 hours;

- Bilbray's amendment to the BEACH Act requires that the EPA conduct a study that assesses the benefits of using molecular testing, as opposed to the more commonly used culture testing, for assessing the quality of coastal waters.

- The EPA has tested pathogens in the water using culture testing since 1986. Unfortunately, this antiquated method can take upwards of 72 hours to yield results. Molecular testing, on the other hand, shows great promise both in rapidly identifying potential pathogens in coastal waters, and in reducing the amount of time required to provide test results.
- Additionally, culture testing cannot differentiate between non-human an human organisms without additional testing. As a result, many beaches are closed unnecessarily and for too long due to detection of organisms that do not pose a threat to humans.

The Beach Act will also:

- Require local officials to notify the EPA within 24 hours if results from a water quality sample do not meet water quality standards (a change from current law which requires such notification be given "promptly");

- Require state and local governments to post information about coastal water quality on a publicly accessible and searchable database;

- Require state and local governments to submit an annual report to the EPA Administrator with a full accounting of "the occurrences, nature, location, pollutants involved, and extent of any tests that do not meet water quality standards"; and

The reauthorization of the BEACH Act must still be approved by the Senate.

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