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EPA’s Surveillance Helicopter Coming Soon to a Beach Near You

Release Date: 07/02/2002
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(#02068) New York, New York – New Jersey/New York/Long Island beaches are cleaner, safer and better than ever, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) surveillance helicopter “The Coastal Crusader” patrols the beaches and samples the coastal waters to make sure they stay that way throughout the summer season. EPA Regional Administrator Jane M. Kenny joined U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine today on EPA’s chopper to observe the condition of coastal waters and beaches from south of Atlantic City to Sandy Hook before the Fourth of July holiday. This is the 29th year of EPA’s Summer Beach Water Quality Surveillance Program which collects information that is used, along with data collected by the states and local health departments, to protect the millions of beach goers that flock to our shores every summer. “As we approach the Fourth of July holiday and the prime season for swimming and other recreational activities at the Jersey shore, I want to assure those enjoying these beaches that they are among the best monitored beaches in the country,” Ms. Kenny said. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, EPA scientists use the Twin Star helicopter to take hundreds of water samples, which are analyzed in EPA’s lab, and keep a watchful eye out for floating debris that could spoil summer fun. The sampling results are shared with federal, state and local agencies to help them determine if beach closures are necessary. Debris slicks are immediately reported to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), which dispatches vessels to skim the debris from the water and prevent washups on bathing beaches. Working cooperatively, they have established a network, which includes EPA’s helicopter and New Jersey and New York’s surveillance aircraft and monitoring boats, and the Corps’ and New York City skimmer vessels, to monitor, immediately respond to and clean up any potential pollution problems that could affect beaches in New Jersey and New York. The helicopter is also used on regular occasions throughout the beach season to test for dissolved oxygen at points as far as nine miles east of the coastline. Adequate levels of dissolved oxygen are critical to healthy ocean waters. The helicopter and crew also conduct semi-monthly sampling for phytoplankton. Such sampling can give us an early warning of noxious algae blooms which might threaten water quality and the sea life it supports. In addition, the helicopter conducts a visual inspection of the New York/New Jersey harbor complex six days a week looking for floating debris. In the past, such debris has washed up on our beaches, closing them to the public. Today, when slicks are identified, EPA notifies the Army Corps of Engineers and the Corps removes the debris from the water before it threatens any beaches. In addition to this seasonal monitoring activity, EPA also has ongoing programs to identify and address problems in New Jersey’s coastal waters. In October 2000, Congress passed a federal law called the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act). The new law established a national program for monitoring beach water quality and notifying the public of unsafe conditions. EPA estimates that Americans make a total of 910 million trips to coastal areas each year, spending about $44 billion. Only weeks ago, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman announced a BEACH grant of $285,000 to New Jersey, which is administered by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. In addition, the New York/New Jersey Harbor, the Delaware Estuary and Barnegat Bay have all been designated by EPA as estuaries of national significance. They are three of only 28 estuaries nationally that have been given such a designation. As such, they receive financial support from EPA that is used to bring together all segments of the watershed community to plan for the preservation and protection of these waters. New York and New Jersey coastal waters have all been in very good shape in recent years, thanks in large part to the efforts of federal, state and local governments to control the sources of pollution. Since 1995, there have been fewer than fifty ocean beach closings due to bacteria – compared to more than 800 such closings in 1988 alone. In 1987, the washup of floatable debris was responsible for the closing of 25 miles of New Jersey beaches in May and 50 miles of beaches in August. The following year, floatable materials were again responsible for closing 60 miles of beaches in New York. And bacterial contamination closed 836 ocean and bay beaches in New Jersey. The State University of New York Waste Management Institute studied the impact of these beach closings on the regional economy. They estimated the total losses over the two year period at between $990 million and $4 billion in New Jersey and between $950 million and $2 billion in New York. “These beaches represent a legacy that has been handed down to us, one that EPA fully intends to protect and preserve for future generations,” Ms. Kenny concluded. The surveys and additional beach information, including information for states interested in applying for the beach grants, are available on EPA’s beach Web site at: https://www.epa.gov/ost/beaches.