[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24597-24598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8676]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OW-FRL-7648-7]


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 of the National List of Beaches 
pursuant to section 406(g) of the Clean Water Act as amended by the 
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act. 
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. EPA is publishing this list under the title 
National List of Beaches. The list contains information the States made 
available to EPA as of December 31, 2003. 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 Beth 
LeaMond, Environmental Scientist, Office of Science and Technology, 
Mail Code 4305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth LeaMond, (202) 566-0444, 
[email protected].

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, Pub. L. 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
    ``(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 provided Federal grant funds to assist States in the 
development and implementation of their beach monitoring and 
notification programs. As part of this effort, States were to develop 
their State-specific lists that identify the coastal recreation waters, 
including those waters adjacent to beaches and other similar points of 
access, and identify 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 into the 
National List of Beaches and is now making the information available to 
the public, pursuant to section 406(g) of the CWA.

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

[[Page 24598]]

BEACH Act. The list provides information to the public identifying the 
beaches in their State and whether they are monitored and the public 
notified when the water quality standards are exceeded. States 
identified a total of 6099 beaches, the waters of 3472 of those beaches 
were monitored and the waters of 2627 of those beaches were not 
monitored. EPA will 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: [email protected]).

F. How Do I Find More Information About My State'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 contacts are identified along with each 
State's list.

G. How Will This List Change?

    EPA intends to update this list periodically, no sooner than one 
year from date of today's Federal Register notice, based on information 
received from States. EPA will publish notice in the Federal Register 
of any revisions to the National List of Beaches.

    Dated: April 12, 2004.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Water.
[FR Doc. 04-8676 Filed 5-3-04; 8:45 am]
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