09/02/24 - 146 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/yck6vkb4
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Vacation Beaches Show Reduced Number Of Closures Due To Pollution
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As millions of Americans flock to beaches around the country, PennEnvironment reported that beach closings and advisories due to pollution decreased last year at Presque Isle Lake Erie and the Jersey shore but increased over 800 percent in Delaware, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 20th annual beachwater quality report. (Photo: Presque Isle beaches, Erie)
PennEnvironment called for increased federal funding and strong EPA rules for further reductions of stormwater pollution.
Across the country, there were more than 18,000 closing and advisory days at ocean, bay and Great Lakes beaches in 2009, confirming that our nation’s beaches continue to suffer from serious water pollution that puts swimmers at risk. Meanwhile, as of July 23, the oil disaster had already led to 1,755 days of beach closing, advisories, and notices in the Gulf region this year.
“When families head to the beach this summer, they shouldn’t have to worry about swimming in polluted water that can make them sick, said Erika Staaf, PennEnvironment’s Clean Water Advocate. “We applaud state officials for taking steps to reduce beachwater pollution along Lake Erie and protect public health.”
Using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the report, Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, confirms that our nation’s beachwaters continue to suffer from serious contamination – including human and animal waste – that can make people sick.
The report tallied 34 beach closing and health advisory days in 2009 at Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie beaches, a 24 percent decline from the 45 days in 2008. Lake Erie had 6 closing and advisory days in 2007, 53 days in 2006 and 39 days in 2005.
The report also tallied 94 beach closing and advisory days in 2009 at Delaware’s beaches, an 8-fold increase from the 11 days in 2008. The Jersey Shore saw 180 closing and advisory days in 2009, a 13 percent decrease from 208 days in 2008, 142 days in 2007, 134 days in 2006, and 79 days in 2005.
The report also provides a five-star rating guide for 200 of the nation’s most popular beaches, based on indicators of beachwater quality, monitoring frequency, and public notification of contamination. In Pennsylvania, Beach 6 beaches in on Presque Isle along Lake Erie received a four-star rating.
"Sewage and runoff pollution in our beachwater is preventable,” said Jon Devine, senior NRDC water attorney. “With investment in cost-effective, smarter water practices that are available today, communities can tackle the most common sources of pollution lurking in the waves.”
Stormwater, which caused 100 percent of beach closing and advisory days in Erie in 2009 and the majority of closings in Delaware, is created when heavy rainfall flows over our driveways, sidewalks, rooftops, highways and parking lots – collecting pollutants, including petroleum, heavy metals, animal waste, chemicals and construction debris.
In coastal areas where stormwater is discharged directly to surface waters, the contaminants it picks up as it makes its way to the ocean can result in contaminated beachwater. In cities with combined sewage treatment plants, stormwater and sewage both go to the plant to be treated. When there is a heavy rain, the amount of stormwater can overwhelm the system resulting in a discharge of raw or partially treated sewage.
Nationally, seven percent of beachwater samples violated health standards – indicating the presence of human or animal waste – showing no improvement from 2008 or 2007. In Pennsylvania, of the beaches analyzed from year-to-year, the percentage of health standard exceedances decreased to four percent in 2009 from five percent in 2008, two percent in 2007 and nine percent in 2006.
Pennsylvania ranks 21st in the nation for its beachwater quality testing.
Beachwater pollution makes swimmers vulnerable to a range of waterborne illnesses including stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, ear, nose and throat problems, dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders and other serious health problems. For senior citizens, small children, and people with weak immune systems, the results can be fatal.
“The best way to protect swimmers from beachwater pollution is to prevent it. To continue protecting our favorite vacation beaches on Lake Erie and along Delaware and New Jersey’s coastlines, we need to reduce the amount of stormwater created by our cities, increase resources for cities in towns to upgrade their sewage treatment systems, and prevent other threats like oil spills from destroying our beaches,” continued Staaf.
The EPA is in the process of creating new rules for mitigating and preventing stormwater runoff across the country.
“PennEnvironment urges the EPA to make strong stormwater rules to reduce stormwater pollution and the make America’s beaches safer for people across the country to enjoy,” concluded Staaf.
A copy of the report is available online.
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8/2/2010 |
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