S. 508 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Feb 11, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryStrengthens beach water safety monitoring programs
The EPA has a program that gives grants to states and local governments to test coastal beach water and warn the public when it's not safe to swim in. This bill expands that program through 2029 and adds new tools—letting communities identify what's actually causing the contamination and check the water quality upstream from beaches too.
How it affects you
If you live near a coast or visit beaches, this means more detailed water testing and faster warnings about unsafe conditions. Local governments get more resources to figure out pollution sources and keep you informed about where it's safe to swim.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Feb 11, 2025)
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2025 or the BEACH Act of 2025
This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and expands an existing program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that awards grants to states and local governments to (1) monitor the water quality of coastal recreational waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public; and (2) notify the public, local governments, and the EPA when the water is not safe for recreational activities.
Specifically, the bill expands the program to allow the EPA to award grants for identifying sources of contamination (i.e., pathogens) for coastal recreation waters. It also allows grants to be used for monitoring and notification of contamination in (1) shallow waters upstream from recreational waters, and (2) recreational waters on beaches.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 508
A BILL
BEACH Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) · Introduced Feb 11, 2025 · Environmental Protection · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Feb 11, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.”