On July 16th, Representative David Joyce (R-OH) and Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined Environment America at a press event in Washington, D.C. to urge their colleagues in Congress to take stronger action to stop bacterial contamination at America’s beaches.
Their united call for action was spurred by the findings of the latest Safe for Swimming? report by Environment America Research and Policy Center and the Frontier Group. The report found that last year, 61% of Great Lakes and coastal beaches exceeded a safety threshold for fecal indicator bacteria on at least one day.
Too many beaches aren’t safe for swimming
The report hit particularly close to home for both Rep. Joyce and Sen. Reed, whose states saw troubling results. A staggering 92% of Ohio’s Lake Erie beaches were deemed potentially unsafe for swimming on at least one day of 2024. In Rhode Island, the Ocean State, 59% of coastal beaches were potentially unsafe on at least one day.
“Growing up on the shores of Lake Erie, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for our beaches. These natural wonders are invaluable sources of recreation and economic drivers for our communities, but pollution and contamination threaten to make them too dangerous for the public,” said U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio. “I urge Congress to swiftly pass the BEACH Act, which will ensure that our beaches and the surrounding waters remain safe for future generations.”
How we can make beaches safe for swimming
Sen. Reed highlighted the importance of testing, as proposed in the BEACH Act and by efforts like Environment America’s Safe for Swimming? report, and called for continued investment in clean water infrastructure funding.
State governments and the EPA estimate that we will need $630 billion nationwide to deal with sewage, runoff, and other wastewater pollution across the country over 20 years. Sen. Reed said that these investments are well worth the cost: “Fixing and updating water systems isn’t cheap — or easy. But it’s absolutely necessary to public health, environmental health, and America’s economic health.”
Athletes and beachgoers need clean water
In addition to everyday beachgoers, water athletes are especially impacted by bacterial risks when they compete. Jordan Stock, a Division-I rower at Stanford University and Environment America summer associate, also spoke at the event.
“Being able to train on a waterway without fear of exposure to nasty bacteria is vital to my well-being,” Jordan said. She described stories of years rowing on a body of water so contaminated with fecal pollution that swimming in it had been banned for over seventy years. “I should not have to risk my health to practice the sport that I love.”
As Sen. Reed astutely stated, “What gets measured gets managed.” That’s why Congress needs to pass the bipartisan BEACH Act and invest the resources needed to make all our beaches safe for swimming.
