BEACH Act of 2025
BEACH Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# BEACH Act of 2025 Summary **What It Does** The BEACH Act would extend and expand an existing EPA program that helps monitor water quality at beaches and coastal recreation areas through 2029. Currently, the program funds states and local governments to test beach water for safety and warn the public when it's unsafe to swim. This bill adds new capabilities: it would allow funding for identifying what's causing water contamination (like harmful bacteria), and it would expand monitoring to include shallow waters upstream from beaches that feed into recreational areas. **Who It Affects** Beach communities and swimmers would be the primary beneficiaries, as would state and local environmental agencies responsible for beach safety.
The bill could also affect municipalities that manage coastal recreation areas and public health departments involved in water quality monitoring. **Current Status** The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has been introduced but hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House. It was introduced by Representative David Joyce (R-Ohio) in the 119th Congress.
CRS Official Summary
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2025 or the BEACH Act of 2025This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and expands an existing program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that awards grants to states and local governments to (1) monitor the water quality of coastal recreational waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public; and (2) notify the public, local governments, and the EPA when the water is not safe for recreational activities.Specifically, the bill expands the program to allow the EPA to award grants for identifying sources of contamination (i.e., pathogens) for coastal recreation waters. It also allows grants to be used for monitoring and notification of contamination in (1) shallow waters upstream from recreational waters, and (2) recreational waters on beaches.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.