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S. 508119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Feb 11, 2025Decoded by AI · checked against the record
The plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
S 508 revives lapsed federal beach water testing grants up to $30M/year for states, extended through 2029.
55-second read · 5 questions answered below
S 508 reauthorizes federal grants under the BEACH Act, originally passed in 2000, to fund water quality testing at public coastal and Great Lakes beaches. The authorization lapsed after 2005 and this bill extends it from 2025 through 2029. Grant funds can now also be used to test shallow upstream waterways near beaches and to identify specific contamination sources, not just detect that a problem exists.
State and local health and environmental agencies apply for and administer the grants. Anyone who swims, surfs, or recreates at public coastal or Great Lakes beaches in the United States is affected.
Better and broader monitoring could produce more timely public notifications when water is unsafe, since beach managers are already required to notify the public when contamination is found. The bill also requires the EPA to ensure its guidance to states reflects the latest water testing technology.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.