SEATTLE (AP) — 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 say the programs will also be carried out by the Makah and Swinomish tribes. 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. When elevated levels of bacteria are detected, the funding will support beach warning or beach closing notifications to protect public health.
EPA awards grants for beach water monitoring, notifications
