Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009
CLEAN COASTAL ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - July 28, 2009)
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Mr. BOOZMAN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House is moving H.R. 2093, the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009. This is an example of the good we can accomplish when we're able to work in a bipartisan manner to address the Nation's water resources needs.
Our Nation has nearly 23,000 miles of ocean and gulf shoreline along the continental United States and 5,500 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. Beaches are an important part of American life, providing numerous recreational opportunities for millions of people, including swimming, fishing, boating, beach-combing, surfing, sunbathing, and bird-watching.
This bill enables the EPA and the States to complete the important work they have begun so they can better protect public health and safety and so that they can continue to improve the quality of our Nation's recreational coastal waters.
H.R. 2093 increases the authorized annual funding for grants to States from $30 million to $40 million, and it extends the program through fiscal year 2014. This will help ensure that the public can get timely warnings of potential health hazards associated with a trip to the beach.
H.R. 2093 also requires the EPA to review State compliance with the BEACH Act, and it provides the means for dealing with States that remain out of compliance. H.R. 2093 passed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by unanimous vote.
I am pleased the House is moving H.R. 2093, The ``Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009.''
This is an example of the good we can accomplish when we are able to work in a bipartisan manner to address the Nation's water resources needs.
Our Nation has nearly 23,000 miles of ocean and gulf shoreline along the continental United States, and 5,500 miles of Great Lakes shorelines.
Beaches are an important part of American life, providing numerous recreational opportunities for millions of people, including fishing, boating, beachcombing, swimming, surfing, sunbathing, and bird-watching.
Each year, over 180 million people visit coastal waters for recreational purposes.
This activity supports over 28 million jobs and leads to investments of over $50 billion each year in goods and services.
Public confidence in the quality of our nation's waters is important not only to each citizen who swims, but also to the tourism and recreation industries that rely on safe and swimmable coastal waters.
To improve the public's confidence in the quality of our Nation's coastal waters and protect public health and safety, Congress passed the ``Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000,'' commonly called the ``BEACH Act,'' in the 106th Congress.
The BEACH Act aimed to limit and prevent human exposure to polluted coastal recreational waters by assisting States and local communities to implement beach monitoring, assessment, and public notification programs.
The act also called on States with coastal recreational waters to adopt pathogen-related water quality standards, and directed EPA to conduct research and develop updated water quality criteria to protect human health.
Under the BEACH Act, EPA has been making grants to States to help them implement programs to monitor beach water quality and notify the public if water quality standards for pathogens are not being met.
An important indicator of progress to date is the fact that all eligible States are now implementing the beach monitoring, assessment, and public notification provisions of the BEACH Act.
The number of monitored beaches has increased from approximately 1,000 in 1997 to more than 3,700 in 2008.
In addition, EPA has strengthened water quality standards throughout all the coastal recreation waters in the United States.
All 35 States and Territories with coastal recreation waters now have water quality standards as protective of human health as EPA's water quality criteria. This is an increase from just 11 States and Territories in 2000.
Further, EPA has improved public access to data on beach advisories and closings by improving the agency's electronic data systems.
Moreover, EPA has been conducting cutting-edge research to support the development of new water quality criteria to protect human health from pathogens, and new monitoring methods to more accurately and rapidly detect pathogen contamination in recreational waters.
Faster and better decisions are good for public health and good for the economy in beach communities.
We are optimistic that this work will help State beach managers make the best decisions possible about keeping beaches open or placing them under advisory.
Although EPA and the States have made substantial progress in implementing the BEACH Act, there is important work left to do in the areas of monitoring, research, and updating existing water quality criteria.
H.R. 2093 recognizes this, and reauthorizes and amends the BEACH Act.
This bill enables EPA and the States to complete the important work they have begun, so they can better protect public health and safety and continue to improve the quality of our Nation's recreational coastal waters.
H.R. 2093 increases the authorized annual funding level for grants to States from $30 to $40 million, and extends the program through fiscal year 2014.
In addition, the bill requires the development and use of rapid testing methods and quick notification to State officials and the public if a problem is found.
This will help ensure the public can get timely warnings of potential health hazards associated with a trip to the beach.
H.R. 2093 also requires EPA to review State compliance with the BEACH Act, and provides means for dealing with States that remain out of compliance.
H.R. 2093 passed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a unanimous voice vote.
I would like to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Oberstar, and the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and especially thank the ranking member of the committee, Mr. Mica, for all their hard work that enabled us to bring to you today a consensus bill that enjoys strong, bipartisan support.
I urge all members to support the legislation.
I would like to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Oberstar, the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and especially their staffs for their hard work on both sides. Also, I would like to thank Mr. Mica for his hard work in helping us to bring this forward.
Again, I urge adoption of this. I am so glad that it enjoys bipartisan support.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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