EPA assigns $477K to Puerto Rico, USVI to protect beachgoers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing $9.7 million in grant funding that states, Tribes, and territories will use to monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches and to notify the public if elevated levels of illness-causing bacteria make swimming unsafe.
Puerto Rico is eligible to receive $321,000 and the U.S. Virgin Islands is eligible to receive $126,000. EPA anticipates that it will award grants after all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
“Beaches are the crown jewel of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and this funding will help them ensure that the beaches are open for business and that beachgoers can swim and splash without fear of getting sick,” said EPA Regional Administrator Michael Martucci.
“These grants will help Puerto Rico and the USVI test and monitor to ensure that the public has the information it needs to enjoy a safe time on the beach,” he said.
This funding is authorized by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act and it advances the goals of cooperative federalism and ensuring that every American has access to clean and safe water, the agency stated.
