Latest news with #BEACHAct
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas Secures $382K Grant To Boost Beach Water Quality Monitoring
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced Wednesday that her agency has secured $382,000 in federal funding to monitor bacterial levels at Texas beaches. The EPA grant will support the state's Texas Beach Watch program through the 2025 swimming season. The funding comes as millions of Texans prepare for summer beach trips along the Gulf Coast. Rising concerns about water quality have made bacterial monitoring increasingly critical for public health officials. 'The GLO is proud to monitor the water quality up and down our beautiful Texas coast for the well-being of beachgoers, our shoreline communities, and the marine life across various beach habitats,' said Buckingham. 'As someone who lived on the coast for over a decade, I want to thank President Trump's EPA for the issuance of this grant that will assist the Texas Beach Watch program in keeping Texans informed as they visit our beaches this summer.' The program tests specifically for Enterococcus bacteria, which naturally occurs in warm-blooded animals. While normal in coastal ecosystems, elevated levels can signal potential health risks. Heavy rainfall and stormwater runoff often drive bacterial spikes. When levels exceed safety thresholds, the GLO issues water quality advisories to warn swimmers. Still, the actual risk remains relatively low. Last year, only 797 of 8,237 samples triggered advisories—roughly 9% of all tests conducted. The GLO does not close beaches during advisories. That decision rests with local authorities who weigh multiple factors beyond bacterial counts. The grant stems from the federal BEACH Act, which mandates coastal water quality monitoring nationwide. EPA officials framed the funding as part of their 'Powering the Great American Comeback' initiative. That said, bacterial monitoring represents just one piece of coastal management. The GLO simultaneously oversees beach nourishment projects and hurricane recovery efforts across the Texas coast. Buckingham, who became Texas's first female Land Commissioner in 2022, has prioritized coastal issues. Her agency recently completed what officials describe as the state's largest beach nourishment project. The Texas Beach Watch program encourages visitors to help maintain water quality. Officials specifically request proper pet waste disposal and trash management at beach sites.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Report identifies 10 US beaches that are ‘hotspots' for bacteria
(NEXSTAR) – If you can't visit one of the country's best beaches, it might be wise to at least avoid some of the most bacteria-ridden. The annual Clean Water report from the Surfrider Foundation aims to raise awareness for the importance of water quality monitoring by calling out some of America's 'beach bacteria hotspots.' The non-profit organization, together with volunteers from its Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), gathered data for the latest edition of its annual report over the last year, collecting water samples from beaches from coast to coast, and from Puerto Rico and Hawaii. 'Across the country, Surfrider's BWTF volunteers are committed to measuring water quality conditions at the beaches they love and rallying their communities around protecting clean water for future generations to enjoy,' the organization wrote in its report. 'Dr. Beach' ranks 10 best US beaches of 2025 Analysts with the Surfrider Foundation studied more than 10,120 samples from 604 beaches and recreational water areas in 2024 (the BWTF collects samples year-round), identifying those that exceeded their states' standards for acceptable bacteria levels. Certain beaches that were found to have high percentages of samples that exceeded acceptable bacterial levels were deemed 'bacteria hotspots' by Surfrider. 'Each location regularly shows dangerous levels of fecal-indicator bacteria tied to human illnesses, including gastrointestinal issues, flu-like symptoms, and serious skin conditions like MRSA and staph infections,' the Clean Water report reads. It's important to note, however, that Surfrider's BWTF partners did not collect data from all beaches across the U.S. A map included with the annual report shows large swaths of the Northeast and Southeast coasts — in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Georgia — where no samples were collected. Very few were collected along the Gulf region, too. Surfrider said its workers and volunteers are continually expanding its sampling efforts. That said, beaches and recreational water areas identified as 'hotspots' based on Surfrider's 2024 samples include: Windmill Beach — Sag Harbor, New York Ballard Park — Melbourne, Florida Park View Kayak Launch — Miami Beach, Florida Playa Crash Boat — Aguadilla, Puerto Rico South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock — Tacoma, Washington Linda Mar Beach — Pacifica, California San Luis Creek Mouth — Avila Beach, California Imperial Beach — San Diego, California Kahalu'u Kahalu'u — Oahu, Hawaii Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing — Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii Record number of travelers hit the road for Memorial Day weekend Surfrider, in its report, also advocated for funding to continue the Environmental Protection Agency's BEACH Act grants, which are provided to pay for water-monitoring programs. As seen in a recent letter to the Secretary of Appropriations, the Trump administration is calling on major cuts to the EPA, which could hinder the work done to monitor and maintain water quality, according to Surfrider. The non-profit says such a move 'could leave families completely blind to pollution issues at America's beaches.' More information about Surfrider's findings, including its history and methodology, can be found in the organization's official website and annual report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bay Area beach ranked as bacteria 'hot spot'
PACIFICA, Calif. - We've reported on this before, but unfortunately for beach-goers, a popular Bay Area beach has once again made this top 10 list for the wrong reasons. What we know Pacifica's Linda Mar Beach weighs in at number 6 for the Surfrider's 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots list. The organization's Clean Water report came out this week ahead of the busy Memorial Day holiday. The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the world's coasts and the protection of the oceans. They say as many as 100 million people flock to U.S. beaches each year. In 2024, Surfrider Foundation's Blue Water Task Force processed more than 10,000 water samples from 604 distinct sampling sites. One of those sites was the relaunched site at their Sonoma Coast Chapter. The task force monitors sources of pollution, including stormwater outlets, rivers and creeks that discharge onto the beach. The group said last year as many as 80% of the beaches from their sampling sites yielded high bacteria results that exceeded state health standards. While they argue it is important to continue this type of monitoring, the organization notes that the Trump administration's projected budget cuts for fiscal year 2026 eliminate all funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's BEACH Act grant program that funds beach water quality monitoring along with the public notifications that accompany the results of sampling if levels are hazardous. The Surfrider Foundation has put out a call to tell Congress to reject these budget cuts. The following is the Surfrider's top 10 list for 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots. The list shows the location and the high bacteria rate. Windmill Beach, Sag Harbor, New York - 43% Ballard Park, Melbourne, Florida - 52% Park View Kayak Launch, Miami Beach, Florida - 90% Playa Crashboat, Aguadillia, Puerto Rico - 23% South Sound Thea Foss Floating Dock, Tacoma, Washington - 64% Linda Mar Beach, Pacifica, California - 71% San Luis Creek Mouth, Avila Beach, California - 38% Imperial Beach, San Diego, California - 82% Kahalu'u, Kahalu'u, O'ahu, Hawai'i - 92% Waikomo Stream at Koloa Landing, Poipu, Kaua'i, Hawai'i - 90% According to Surfrider's Blue Water Task Force, the table above shows 10 priority beaches that are consistently measured for high bacteria levels. The percentages suggest the samples collected have bacteria levels that exceed the state health standard for recreational waters. "These popular recreational braces pose real health risks to swimmers, surfers and families. Each location regularly shows dangerous levels of fecal-indicator bacteria tied to human illnesses, including gastrointestinal issues, flu-like symptoms, and serious skin conditions like MRSA and staph infections," the Clean Water Report states. The organization's San Mateo County chapter is raising awareness about the hazardous conditions at Linda Mar Beach by joining a coalition of environmental and surfing groups to investigate the source of the pollution in the San Pedro Creek, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at this beach. KTVU reported in 2023 that enterococcus, a bacterium commonly found in fecal matter, made up an overwhelming majority of samples taken from that year. The EPA doesn't typically consider enterococcus harmful, but it is a common cause for urinary tract infections, according to the National Institute of Health.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Community avoids catastrophe thanks to innovative projects in the surrounding landscape: 'Can make an even greater difference'
Restoration projects in North Carolina have been providing palpable benefits to residents in flooding season, according to BlueRidgeNow. Nonprofit Conserving Carolina has been remediating areas around waterways to build healthier floodplain ecosystems. This has included raising berms, creating pond off-shoots called sloughs, and planting native species. All of this work has provided an environment that can mitigate flooding before reaching people's homes downstream. Three restoration projects along the French Broad River contained 1.25 billion gallons of water from Tropical Storm Helene, according to their designer Greg Jennings. Residents have been thankful for the work. "I feel like the hard work y'all did kept our house on Mud Creek Road from flooding worse," said local homeowner Lisa Moffit. Even outside of a crisis situation, these habitat restorations are providing value. Floodplains are another filter, catching sediment that would otherwise go downstream. This improves water quality overall. Floodplains and wetlands are able to retain water when drought conditions are present, which is good news for local crops. The added geographic complexity also brings more wildlife to the areas. Workers have noted the quick return of some rare birds. That's a bonus for biodiversity and any sightseers. We've seen small-scale wetland restoration on private property, but proper legislative protections like the BEACH Act are needed for more large-scale support. Conserving Carolina still sees plenty of work to do ahead. "As we look ahead, the cumulative effect of more restoration projects like these can make an even greater difference," said David Lee, Conserving Carolina's Natural Resources Director, per BlueRidgeNow. "And we don't always have to do a full-scale restoration. We improve resilience every time we conserve the farmland and natural areas that already exist in the river corridor. Each conservation and restoration project contributes to a more resilient network of flood control that helps to safeguard both natural ecosystems and human communities." What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
