Wyden Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Beaches in Oregon and Nationwide
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today introduced bipartisan legislation that would preserve coastal beaches in Oregon and nationwide by providing funding for state, local, and tribal governments to test, monitor, and identify recreational waters that are contaminated.
“The Oregon Coast offers unmatched opportunities for visitors to make fond memories and for residents of one of America’s most iconic coastlines to live and work in and next to the Pacific Ocean,” Wyden said. “But the ongoing threat of pollution piling up on our coastal beaches every year demands commonsense solutions that help protect this treasure and keep Oregonians healthy. This bill accomplishes those goals by protecting, preserving, and improving our beaches in every corner of Oregon and America for generations to come.”
Currently, there’s dedicated federal funding for monitoring and notifying beachgoers of contaminated coastal waters–but there is no money allocated towards identifying contaminated sites. Wyden’s new bill, the BEACH Act, would reauthorize this $30 million program over the next four years to allocate funding for identifying contaminated beaches and trace the source of the contamination.
Wyden’s bill would also expand testing locations to include shallow recreational waters near the beaches, where children and seniors often play and swim, who are more at risk of experiencing health issues from contamination.
The legislation is endorsed by Environment America, Surfrider, the America Shore & Beach Preservation Association, and the Coastal States Organization.
“Kudos to Senators Tillis and Wyden for moving to renew the BEACH Act - a critical step forward in safeguarding the health of our communities. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that families know when our waters are safe for swimming and help states pinpoint pollution sources,” said Caroline Wagar, Federal Legislative Associate at Environment America.
“Everyone deserves access to clean water to swim, surf, and play in. The BEACH Act ensures that people have the information they need to protect themselves and the health of their families when recreating at the beach and in our coastal waterways. The Surfrider Foundation wholeheartedly supports the reauthorization bill sponsored by Senators Tillis and Wyden,” said Mara Dias, Senior Manager of Surfrider's Water Quality Initiative.
“ASBPA is proud to support reauthorization of the BEACH Act. We applaud Senator Wyden and Senator Tillis for continuing to prioritize this policy which empowers US coastal communities’ with information needed to elevate water quality at the nation’s beaches and shores,” said Annie Mercer, Blue Flag Program Coordinator for the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association.
“For over two decades the BEACH Act has helped keep swimmers healthy and safe every summer. This reauthorization helps ensure beachgoers will be notified as quickly as possible if water is unsafe to swim in, and gives coastal states and communities greater flexibility to identify and address sources of contamination,” said Derek Brockbank, Executive Director of Coastal States Organization.
Text of the bill is here. A one-page summary of the bill is here.
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