[Federal Register: October 6, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 194)]
[Notices]
[Page 58229-58230]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc08-70]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OW-FRL-8725-1]
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Availability of National List of Beaches under the
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act.
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SUMMARY: This notice informs the public that EPA has updated the
National List of Beaches pursuant to Section 406(g) of the Clean Water
Act (CWA) as amended by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and
Coastal Health (BEACH) Act. EPA is publishing this list under the title
National List of Beaches. Section 406(g) requires EPA to publish a list
of discrete coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar
points of access that are used by the public and to update the list
periodically as new information becomes available. The list specifies
whether the waters are subject to a monitoring and notification program
consistent with the performance criteria (National Beach Guidance and
Required Performance Criteria for Grants June 2002) EPA published under
CWA section 406(a). The list contains information that coastal and
Great Lakes States made available to EPA as of January 31, 2008, and it
replaces the previous list that EPA published on May 4, 2004. The
National List of Beaches provides a national baseline of the extent of
monitoring of waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access,
which will allow EPA to measure State program performance in
implementing the monitoring and notification provisions of the BEACH
Act.
ADDRESSES: Address all inquiries concerning this document to Lars
Wilcut, Environmental Scientist, Office of Science and Technology, Mail
Code 4305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lars Wilcut, (202) 566-0447,
wilcut.lars@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Interested Entities
This notice may be of interest to State and local beach managers,
the general public, and environmental organizations concerned with
public health at beaches.
B. What is the Statutory Authority for the National List of Beaches?
The BEACH Act, signed into law on October 10, 2000, incorporated
new provisions in the Clean Water Act to reduce the risk of illness to
users of the nation's coastal recreation waters. Section 406(g) of the
Clean Water Act, as amended by the BEACH Act, Public Law 106-284, 114
Stat. 970 (2000), states:
``(g) LIST OF WATERS.--
``(1) IN GENERAL.-- Beginning not later than 18 months after the
date of publication of performance criteria under subsection (a),
based on information made available to the Administrator, the
Administrator shall identify, and maintain a list of, discrete
coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of
access that are used by the public that--
``(A) specifies any waters described in this paragraph that are
subject to a monitoring and notification program consistent with the
performance criteria established under subsection (a); and
[[Page 58230]]
``(B) specifies any waters described in this paragraph for which
there is no monitoring and notification program (including waters
for which fiscal constraints will prevent the State or the
Administrator from performing monitoring and notification consistent
with the performance criteria established under subsection (a)).
``(2) AVAILABILITY.--The Administrator shall make the list
described in paragraph (1) available to the public through--
``(A) publication in the Federal Register; and
``(B) electronic media.
``(3) UPDATES.--The Administrator shall update the list
described in paragraph (1) periodically as new information becomes
available.''
C. How did EPA obtain this information?
EPA provides federal grant funds to assist coastal and Great Lakes
States and Territories in the implementation of their beach monitoring
and notification programs. In developing these programs, States and
Territories created lists of their coastal recreation waters, including
those waters adjacent to beaches and other similar points of access,
and identified whether there is a monitoring program for each beach.
EPA assisted States through workshops and telephone contact with
Regional Beach Coordinators and Headquarters personnel. States then
submitted their lists to EPA. EPA compiled the submissions and made the
information available to the public on May 4, 2004 (69 FR24597).
Since 2004, coastal and Great Lakes States have updated this
information as part of their annual submission of beach monitoring and
notification data to EPA. EPA is now publishing the most current update
to this information based on the States' beach monitoring and
notification data for the 2007 beach season.
D. How will EPA use this National List of Beaches?
The National List of Beaches provides EPA a national baseline of
the extent of monitoring of waters adjacent to beaches or similar
points of access, which will allow EPA to measure improvements in
monitoring and notification at all coastal and Great Lake beaches. It
will also help EPA determine how to improve implementation of the BEACH
Act. The list provides information to the public identifying the
beaches in their State and whether they are monitored. In 2007, States
and Territories identified a total of 6,247 beaches, the waters of
3,655 of those beaches were monitored and the waters of 2,592 of those
beaches were not monitored. EPA continues to work with states to
compile additional information and integrate the National List of
Beaches with other program information such as frequency of monitoring
and beach location and length.
E. How may you look at or get a copy of this list?
The National List of Beaches is available on EPA's Web site at:
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/. Copies of the document can
also be obtained by writing, calling, or e-mailing: Office of Water
Resources Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code
4100T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. (Phone:
202-566-1731 or e-mail: center.water-resource@epa.gov).
F. How do I find more information about my State's or Territory's List
of Beaches?
The 35 States subject to the BEACH Act amendments to the Clean
Water Act provided the information that EPA used to compile the
National List of Beaches. State and Territory contacts are identified
along with each State's or Territory's list.
G. How will this list change?
EPA intends to update this list periodically based on information
received from States. EPA will publish notice in the Federal Register
of any revisions to the National List of Beaches.
Dated: September 30, 2008.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. E8-23555 Filed 10-3-08; 8:45 am]
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