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Delaware Receives a $211,339 EPA Beach Grant for Water Monitoring and Citizen Notification

Release Date: 8/27/2002
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

COASTAL SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. -- With a backdrop of the Delaware Seashore State Park, the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, Donald S. Welsh, today announced a grant of $211,339 to help protect public health at Delaware’s beaches.

“EPA is proud of our partnerships with Delaware to help protect this valuable resource. The nation’s coastal waters, which provide recreation and enjoyment to millions of people each year, are an integral part of our programs,” said Regional Administrator Welsh.

Delaware’s grant money will be used by Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to enhance beach monitoring and public notification systems. A portion of the funds will be used to develop a system for real-time public access to information about the conditions of Delaware’s beach water.

“Delaware has monitored its coastal and inland waters for many years. These funds will assist us in ensuring that our beaches are safe and the public is notified if a problem develops, which is consistent with our efforts to provide individual citizens access to the best environmental data available. Our coastal waters are a very important natural and economic resource,” said Nicholas A. DiPasquale, DNREC secretary.

This grant is from funds made available through the BEACH (Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health) Act of 2000. This summer, $10 million will be awarded nationwide to help 35 states and territories improve their water testing and notify the public of health risks during swimming season.

Nationally, this year’s beach grants range from $150,000 to $530,000. They are based on the length of beach season, the miles of beaches and the number of people using the beaches. These grants funds are designed to ensure that the public receives better protection when enjoying coastal beaches across the country.

EPA awards BEACH grants to eligible states, tribes and territories to develop and implement beach water quality monitoring programs near coastal and Great Lakes recreational beaches.

EPA estimates that Americans make 910 million trips to coastal areas each year, spending nearly $44 billion. For more information, check out the BEACH grants website at https://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/grants/.