The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in a news release on Thursday, June 13, a substantial investment of $9.75 million in grant funding to safeguard the health of beachgoers across coastal communities.

Alabama, located in EPA Region 4, will be allocated $260,000 once meeting the eligibility requirements.
This initiative will support water quality monitoring and public notification programs, benefiting numerous states, tribes and territories.

"Every summer, Americans flock to ocean and Great Lakes beaches for recreation, making these destinations vital economic and tourism engines," said Bruno Pigott, acting EPA assistant administrator for water, in the release. "Protecting water quality at beaches is a priority for the EPA. With these grants, we are assisting our state, tribal and local partners in monitoring water quality to ensure it is safe for residents and visitors."

Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, the EPA awards grants to eligible state, tribal and territorial applicants. These grants help local governments monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches. If bacteria levels are too high for safe swimming, these agencies notify the public by issuing beach advisories or closures.

Since 2001, the EPA has allocated nearly $230 million in BEACH Act grants. These funds are used to test beach waters for illness-causing bacteria, identify pollution sources and inform the public about water quality issues. The 2024 grant allocations were influenced by three main factors: the length of the beach season, the number of miles of shoreline and the populations of coastal counties.

To qualify for BEACH Act grants, states, tribes and territories must have coastal and Great Lakes recreational waters adjacent to beaches or similar access points used by the public. Additionally, they must have a water quality standards program and EPA-approved numeric recreational water quality standards for coastal waters. Eligible entities must also meet 11 performance criteria for monitoring, assessment and notification components of the beach program.

For more information on the BEACH Act grants and water quality monitoring programs, visit the EPA's website at www.epa.gov/beaches/beach-grants.