Associated Press
SEATTLE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be awarding $723,000 in grants to monitor beach water quality and set up public notification programs in Washington, Oregon and Alaska, officials announced Monday.
The programs will also be carried out by the Makah and Swinomish tribes, the EPA said in a press release.
“Strong partnerships are essential to protecting public health and the environment,” said EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “With this funding, EPA’s partners can improve water quality monitoring efforts to better protect health and wellness.”
The funds will be used to monitor beaches for fecal bacteria, maintain and operate public notification systems, identify local pollution sources, and report results of monitoring and notification activities to EPA and the public, officials said.
When elevated levels of bacteria are detected, the funding will support beach warning or beach closing notifications to protect public health.
Talk to us
- You can tell us about news and ask us about our journalism by emailing newstips@heraldnet.com or by calling 425-339-3428.
- If you have an opinion you wish to share for publication, send a letter to the editor to letters@heraldnet.com or by regular mail to The Daily Herald, Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
- More contact information is here.
