The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $9.75 million in grant funding to assist coastal and Great Lakes communities in protecting the health of beachgoers. The grants aim to support water quality monitoring and public notification programs across various states, Tribes, and territories, including Massachusetts, which will receive $254,000.
"It is such an exciting time of the year for everyone to get outdoors and head out to waterways to have fun and cool off. The last thing anyone wants to have to think about is if it's safe to go in the water," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "With the BEACH Act funding, Massachusetts residents can have the peace of mind that our water quality at beaches is being monitored and protected."
Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, the EPA provides grants to eligible state, Tribal, and territorial applicants. These grants help local government partners monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches. Agencies notify the public by posting beach advisories or closings when bacteria levels are too high for safe swimming.
Since 2001, nearly $230 million in BEACH Act grants have been awarded by the EPA to test beach waters for illness-causing bacteria, identify pollution sources, and inform the public. The 2024 grant allocations were influenced by three factors: length of the beach season, number of miles of shoreline, and populations of coastal counties.
To be eligible for BEACH Act grants, states, Tribes, and territories must have coastal or Great Lakes recreational waters adjacent to public access points. They must also maintain a water quality standards program with EPA-approved numeric recreational water quality standards for coastal waters and meet 11 performance criteria related to monitoring, assessment, and notification components of their beach programs.
The 2024 BEACH Act grant funding will be allocated as follows:
EPA Region 1
- Connecticut Department of Public Health: $206,000
- Maine Department of Environmental Protection: $254,000
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health: $254,000
- New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services: $194,000
- Rhode Island Department of Health: $210,000
More information on BEACH Act grants can be found on relevant state or Tribal websites where advisory information about specific beaches is available.
