NEAH BAY — The Makah tribe has received a $50,000 beach-monitoring grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The money is part of $717,000 in Northwest grants by the EPA to boost water quality monitoring efforts and make warnings or closure notices more timely and protect swimmers and beach users from pollution.
The funds will pay for collecting and reporting water quality data such as harmful bacteria and notifying the public of any water quality concerns.
Grants also went to the Washington state Department of Ecology, $277,000; state of Alaska, $154,000; Oregon Public Health Authority, $236,000.
“Our goal is to keep all beaches safe for recreation,” said Mike Bussell, EPA’s director of the Office of Water and Watersheds in Seattle.
“These grants help our state partners keep a close watch on coastal water quality, giving beach-going families the protection they deserve.”
Nationwide, EPA is providing almost $10 million this year in beach grants to 37 states, territories, and tribes to help protect swimmers and beachgoers at America’s beaches.
The grants are authorized by the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) of 2000.
