[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 86 (Thursday, May 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S6868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself and Mr. Menendez):
  S. 1506. A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to 
modify provisions relating to beach monitoring, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
that would increase protections for the Nation's beaches and the 
public.
  This bill, the Beach Protection Act, will amend the sections of the 
Clean Water Act that were enacted in the Beaches Environmental 
Assessment and Coastal Health, BEACH, Act, which I wrote in 1990, and 
which was enacted and signed by President Clinton in 2000.
  The BEACH Act required states to adopt the Environmental Protection 
Agency's 1986 national bacteria standard for beach water quality and 
provided incentive grants for States to set up beach monitoring and 
public notification programs. At the time Congress passed the BEACH 
Act, only 7 States had adopted water quality standards for bacteria at 
least as stringent as those recommended by EPA in 1986. Only 9 States 
had programs in place to monitor all or most of their beaches for 
pathogens, and to close the beaches or issue advisories when coastal 
waters are not safe. Only 5 States compiled and publicized records of 
beach closings and advisories. New Jersey was one of the leaders in all 
three of these categories.
  Now, thanks to the BEACH Act, every coastal State except Alaska has a 
monitoring program and a program for public notification of 
contamination of beach waters. In addition, every State has adopted 
standards at least as stringent as those set by EPA.
  The Beach Protection Act would build upon the progress we have made 
since passage of the BEACH Act, to improve monitoring and notification 
requirements, and improve the protection of our beaches.
  The Beach Protection Act will reauthorize the Federal grants created 
under the BEACH Act, and make several improvements to the program, 
based upon the lessons learned over the last 7 years. These amendments 
will increase protections and help reduce the water pollution that 
threatens the environment and public health.
  First, the Beach Protection Act will increase the funds available to 
States, and expand the uses of those funds to include tracking the 
sources of pollution that cause beach closures, and supporting 
pollution prevention efforts. It will also require EPA to develop 
methods for rapid testing of beach water, so that results are available 
in 2 hours, instead of 2 days.
  Secondly, this legislation will strengthen the requirements for 
public notification of health risks posed by beach water contamination, 
and ensure that all State and local agencies that play a role in 
protecting the environment and public health are notified of violations 
of water quality standards.
  Finally, the Beach Protection Act will improve accountability for 
states that fail to comply with the requirements of the Act.
  These measures will improve the public's awareness of health risks 
posed by contamination of coastal waters, and create additional tools 
for addressing the sources of pollution that cause beach closures, 
including leaking or overflowing sewer systems and stormwater runoff.
  Clean water is an economic and public health necessity for New Jersey 
and other coastal states. I have devoted my career to keeping New 
Jersey's waters clean and safe for swimming and fishing. The original 
BEACH Act I authored was an important step toward ensuring cleaner, 
safer beaches. The Beach Protection Act will further strengthen 
protections for the public and our beaches.
  I am pleased that Senator Menendez is joining me as an original 
cosponsor of this legislation. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues to move this legislation forward toward passage.
                                 ______