- Signatures: 7,124
- Goal: 10,000
- Deadline: 6-28-2003
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Keep Our Beaches Safe!
Two years ago Congress promised to alert the public to unsafe swimming conditions by unanimously passing a bill called the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act [BEACH Act]. The law allows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] to provide $30 million in grants to states to monitor the safety of beach water. States can then alert citizens when their waters are unsafe for swimming, surfing, wading, and other recreational activities.
This is critical information for the public, yet the Bush Administration and Congress are holding back on this program. Last year, only one third of the allowable funding was provided to the states, which is not nearly enough to get needed information to the American public. Some states have said they won't even bother developing a program if there is not enough money available to make it worth their while. Right now, is imperative that we remind Congress of their earlier commitment to this program and ask them to reinstate the money as authorized in the BEACH Act so that we all know whether it's safe to go in the water.
Act now and send a message telling your Senators and Members of Congress to keep their promise and fully fund the BEACH Act.
Two years ago Congress promised to alert the public to unsafe swimming conditions by unanimously passing a bill called the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act [BEACH Act]. The law allows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] to provide $30 million in grants to states to monitor the safety of beach water. States can then alert citizens when their waters are unsafe for swimming, surfing, wading, and other recreational activities.
This is critical information for the public, yet the Bush Administration and Congress are holding back on this program. Last year, only one third of the allowable funding was provided to the states, which is not nearly enough to get needed information to the American public. Some states have said they won't even bother developing a program if there is not enough money available to make it worth their while. Right now, is imperative that we remind Congress of their earlier commitment to this program and ask them to reinstate the money as authorized in the BEACH Act so that we all know whether it's safe to go in the water.
Act now and send a message telling your Senators and Members of Congress to keep their promise and fully fund the BEACH Act.
| Number | Date | Prefix | Name | City | State | What do you like to do at the beach? | Why do you want our beaches protected? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,128 | 11:29 am PST, Dec 28 | Peter Neathery | Lorton | Virginia | |||
| 7,127 | 11:22 am PDT, Apr 21 | christine mora | Ventnor | New Jersey | I LIVE IN A SHORE COMMUNITY. THE BEACH IS MY HOME | I WANT THE SAND IN MY SHOES TO BE CLEAN | |
| 7,126 | 9:02 am PDT, Apr 4 | Patsy Halloway | Louisville | Kentucky | |||
| 7,125 | 8:06 am PST, Feb 6 | Christine Iadeluca | Ballston Spa | New York | |||
| 7,124 | 7:13 am PST, Jan 25 | Zaina Escandon Francis | Guatemala | ||||
| 7,123 | 6:26 pm PST, Jan 22 | Jason Bowman | Placerville | California | |||
| 7,122 | 8:00 am PST, Jan 16 | Lisa Cowdrey | Sneads Ferry | North Carolina | |||
| 7,121 | 6:18 am PST, Jan 1 | Solomon R Roller | Tampa | Florida | |||
| 7,120 | 6:22 pm PST, Nov 24 | Ms. | Emily MacDonald | Mount Wolf | Pennsylvania | ||
| 7,119 | 7:35 pm PDT, Oct 14 | Tomy Woodson | Ocoee | Florida | |||
| 7,118 | 1:38 pm PDT, Sep 11 | Carl Propst | Placerville | California | |||
| 7,117 | 9:53 pm PDT, Aug 27 | Linda Bonura | Denham Springs | Louisiana | |||
| 7,116 | 5:37 am PDT, Aug 3 | Anonymous | Glen Cove | New York | |||
| 7,115 | 12:41 pm PDT, Aug 1 | Tom Stupka | Grover | Missouri | |||
| 7,114 | 6:45 pm PDT, Jul 25 | Earth Indigo | Alger | Michigan | |||
| 7,113 | 9:33 pm PDT, Jul 23 | Christian Williams | Fort Worth | Texas | |||
| 7,112 | 3:14 am PDT, Jul 14 | Candy Bowman-LeBlanc | Placerville | California | |||
| 7,111 | 7:50 pm PDT, Jun 27 | Ms. | Brenda Schenk | Hoquiam | Washington | Walk in the sand with my bare feet. Take my dog for long walks. Feed the Seaguls, have picnics, fly kites, look at the sunrises & sunsets, listen to the ocean tides come in & out, go swimming in the summertime, cuddle up with a book & blanket and relax under an open sky. | Because they are my most favorite place to spend my free time. They help me to de-stress, relax, unwind, get reconnected to nature, feel one with the earth, be lulled & content by the sound of the seas. It's such a blessing being at the beach, I'd be very unhappy without beaches. They are my special place. |
| 7,110 | 5:10 pm PDT, Jun 26 | Lorraine Pettit | Flint | Michigan | |||
| 7,109 | 10:22 pm PDT, Jun 19 | Ange Barrett | Castleford | Armed Forces Americas | |||
| 7,108 | 12:47 pm PDT, May 17 | KARLA GLOOR | Painesville | Ohio | |||
| 7,107 | 10:25 am PDT, Apr 24 | mystery girl | Derry | New Hampshire | |||
| 7,106 | 2:08 am PDT, Apr 17 | Steve Klein | x | Armed Forces Americas | |||
| 7,105 | 3:27 am PDT, Apr 15 | Thomas Pirovano | Bern | Armed Forces Americas | |||
| 7,104 | 7:48 pm PDT, Apr 13 | jeff hopkins | Lindenhurst | Illinois | |||
| 7,103 | 12:51 pm PDT, Apr 11 | D White | Mooresville | Indiana | |||
| 7,102 | 10:25 am PST, Jan 20 | Ms. | Anonymous | Princeton | New Jersey | ||
| 7,101 | 10:20 am PST, Nov 10 | Annie Rogers | preston | Maryland | i LIKE TO BRING A TALL GLASS OF TEA, MY CHAIR, MY CD PLAYER, AND A BOOK AND SIT IN FRONT OF THE OCEAN FROM SUNRISE TO 5:30PM AND TAKE IN EVERYTHING AROUND ME AND GET CLOSER TO GOD | IT IS PART OF OUR ECO SYSTEM AND GOD CREATED IT NOT TO DESTROY BUT TO ENJOY |
Support Funding for Clean Beaches and the Public's Right to Know
Dear ____________:
I strongly oppose the Bush Administration's budget decision to request only $10 million for funding state beach water quality monitoring and public notification grants, as called for in the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health [BEACH] Act.
The law, which Congress passed unanimously, authorizes $30 million for states to monitor beach water quality and to alert the public when the water is unsafe for recreating. This program is a bottom-up approach--not a top-down, regulatory one--with states designing their own programs to best safeguard their citizens. Without the full funding, however, states will not invest the time in developing the programs that will protect the beach-goers and the coastal economies that depend on them.
I urge you to fully fund the BEACH Act programs by appropriating $30 million in EPA's budget under the VA HUD budget bill. Any less than the full amount authorized for this program will deny citizens like me the right to know whether it's safe to swim, surf or even wade in the coastal waters in our communities.
Thank you,
I strongly oppose the Bush Administration's budget decision to request only $10 million for funding state beach water quality monitoring and public notification grants, as called for in the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health [BEACH] Act.
The law, which Congress passed unanimously, authorizes $30 million for states to monitor beach water quality and to alert the public when the water is unsafe for recreating. This program is a bottom-up approach--not a top-down, regulatory one--with states designing their own programs to best safeguard their citizens. Without the full funding, however, states will not invest the time in developing the programs that will protect the beach-goers and the coastal economies that depend on them.
I urge you to fully fund the BEACH Act programs by appropriating $30 million in EPA's budget under the VA HUD budget bill. Any less than the full amount authorized for this program will deny citizens like me the right to know whether it's safe to swim, surf or even wade in the coastal waters in our communities.
Thank you,
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