Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

Note: The photo above was taken (by me) near my home in Courtland, MN, which is located in the Minnesota River valley. I chose the goal listed below because I have often heard of problems with pollution in the Minnesota River. I have been told never to go swimming in the river if I didn't want to come out with an extra leg or arm growing on me from all the chemicals in the river!

8-8 Objective: Increase in Proportion of Assessed Rivers, Lakes, and Estuaries That Are Safe for Fishing and Recreational Purposes

• 8-8a. Rivers and streams
• 8-8b. Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs

Progress Quotient Chart Data: Tracking data for objectives 8-8a and b are unavailable.

Progress Information: Data were not available to measure progress for surface water health risks (8-8a and b). New data sources were identified and baselines established for objectives 8-8. Additional data are anticipated for these objectives to assess progress by the end of the decade.

• 8-8a. 2000 Baseline: 55% (Percent Assessed Good*)
• 8-8a. 2010 Target: 58% (Percent Assessed Good*)
• 8-8b. 2000 Baseline: 63% (Percent Assessed Good*)
• 8-8b. 2010 Target: 66% (Percent Assessed Good*)

* Good is defined by EPA as fully supporting all of the following uses or fully supporting all uses but threatened for one or more uses: aquatic life support, fish consumption, primary contact [swimming], secondary contact [boating], drinking water supply, and agriculture.

Disparities:

• Race and Ethnicity: Data for objectives 8a-8b are unavailable or not applicable.
• Gender, Income, and Location: Data for objectives 8a-8b are unavailable or not applicable.

Opportunities and Challenges: The passage of the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act in October 2000 amended the Clean Water Act to (1) establish a national grants program to improve consistency of water quality standards, beach monitoring, and public notification approaches and (2) strengthen national information collection. The EPA established its BEACH program to promote greater consistency in beach health programs and to provide better information to the public. As part of that program, the EPA compiles information on beach advisories and closures. It has collected that information using annual questionnaires sent to participating States, Tribes, local governments, and other agencies that maintain swimming beaches. The questionnaire collects information about advisories and closings that have occurred throughout the swimming season

Emerging Issues: Beach monitoring programs are typically run by local health agencies, and programs vary by location. Monitoring results are inconsistent because agencies use different indicator organisms and varying monitoring frequencies. As part of its beach grant program, EPA has set performance criteria that States and other governments must meet to receive beach grants. These criteria are expected to improve the reporting of beach advisory data.

Related Bill:

• H.R.585
• Title: To direct the President to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate certain Federal rules and regulations for potentially harmful impacts on public health, air quality, water quality, plant and animal wildlife, global climate, or the environment; and to direct Federal departments and agencies to create plans to reverse those impacts that are determined to be harmful by the National Academy of Sciences.
• Sponsor: Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (5)
• Latest Major Action: 1/16/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
• My Political Representative: Timothy J. "Tim" Walz (represents District 1, which includes the area of the Minnesota River valley where Courtland, MN is located)