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CLEAN BEACHES COUNCIL RELEASES ANNUAL LIST OF CLEAN AND HEALTHY BEACHES
Chicago Receives 2007 “Beach Management Legacy” Award
CSI meets Baywatch as City Uses DNA Analysis To Identify Sources of Fecal Matter
(Washington, DC) – The Clean Beaches Council today released its annual list of beaches which have been officially certified as clean, healthy and environmentally well managed. The announcement was made as families and beach-lovers around the country flock to the coast for the finale of the summer season this Labor Day weekend.
This year, beaches in twenty-two states and territories made the list: American Samoa, Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. (See complete list.) “The number of beach closings announced this summer was phenomenal, making our work that much more important to beach goers,” stated Walter McLeod, President of the Clean Beaches Council. “Even though millions of Americans spend time at beaches, they can use this list as one of several benchmarks to make a good, clean beach vacation choice for the future. Our goal is to identify a sample of beaches that demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting the environment and beach wildlife.” This year many park, seashore and lakeshore beaches made the list. The Clean Beaches Council also presented the City of Chicago with the organization’s second annual “Beach Management Legacy” award. The City of Chicago is being recognized for its groundbreaking work using DNA analysis to identify non-point sources of fecal contaminated beaches. Greater Fort Lauderdale, FL won the first award by launching a pilot project that replenished the area’s erosion-prone shoreline with “sand” made from ground-up recycled glass bottles. “This beach management project represents the kind of innovative, outside-the-box thinking that American beaches need,” stated Mr. McLeod. “This is where CSI meets Baywatch. DNA analysis is state-of-the art science that may help identify and mitigate the sources of E-coli at the beach.” Pollution at the nation’s 3,500 ocean, lake and bay beaches resulted in more than 25,000 closing or swimming advisory days last year, the highest number in the 17 years that records have been kept. The majority of beach closings, however, were attributed to “unknown sources.” “The thought of ‘unknown sources’ of fecal contamination should trouble us all. Tackling the problem through DNA analysis to identify the sources may help us win the struggle for cleaner beaches” said McLeod. Now in its ninth year, the non-profit Clean Beaches Council runs the most comprehensive, national environmental beach certification program in the country. Please click here to view the complete list of 2007 Blue Wave Beaches. Check back soon for new beach descriptions! U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND CLEAN BEACHES COUNCIL COLLABORATE ON NEW FLORIDA SHELF BROCHURE
The USGS and Clean Beaches Council have partnered to create a new brochure describing the FLaSH mapping project of the Florida Shelf. Download the pdf version to discover the natural wonders hidden just off Florida's coasts, and what researchers are doing to make them more visible.
NATIONAL CLEAN BEACHES WEEK MAKES A SPLASH!
(June 29th - July 5th) National Clean Beaches Week (NCBW), which was held on June 29-July 5, 2007, is an annual celebration focusing public attention on the role of sustainable beaches in American life. Four themes of importance to beachgoers are highlighted during the week: a healthy environment, sustainable travel, clean recreation and fitness, and healthy food choices. This year, the week got widespread support in Washington and across the nation. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives each unanimously passed Clean Beaches Week resolutions, and the President sent a letter recognizing the week. Many coastal cities, counties and states issued proclamations declaring Clean Beaches Week in their areas. We expect to post photos and descriptions of local beach celebrations soon.
WANTED: ENDANGERED BEACHES! 
New Report To Highlight Nation's Most Threatened Shores The Clean Beaches Council is launching a new project to identify America's Most Endangered Beaches. The report will shed light on acute threats to our nation’s beaches and identify solutions to the problems. Watch our media page for more information.
TRUE BLUE
August 2007
Volume 7 Issue 4 Number 1 Welcome to this issue of TRUE BLUE - the Clean Beaches Council’s monthly electronic newsletter. We have provided this e-newsletter, free of charge, to keep you up to date as to what’s happening with the world’s beaches, oceans, and coasts. ****Current News**** 1. There’s Life in that Sand 2. Certified Beachcombers in New Jersey 3. NYC’s Urban Beaches Better, but Issues Remain 4. Less Litter on San Diego’s Beaches 5. A Rehabbed Boston Area Beach
***There’s Life in that Sand *** Those grains of sand that we like to wiggle our toes in are actually part of an extensive ecosystem and contains creatures such as sand-lickers, sticky-toed worms, and four-legged water bears. These microscopic animals are often less than a millimeter long and can even be as small as one-twentieth of a meter. Scientists estimate there may be millions of these tiny creatures in a few square yards of beach. Read More ***Certified Beachcombers in New Jersey*** In Sea Isle City, New Jersey, certified Beachcombers provide twice weekly guided walking tours to visitors who learn about the shore’s ecosystem and ways to protect oceans, beaches and dunes. The program, started in 1988, has provided tours to about 40,000 people. Those completing the tour take a Beachcomber Pledge in which they vow to keep the beach and ocean clean, recycle trash, protect wildlife along the shore and keep off of the dunes. Read More ***NYC’s Urban Beaches Better, but Issues Remain*** The watchdog group, New Yorkers for Parks, has issued a report card showing that there has been improvement on the city’s seven beaches, but a lot of work still needs to be done, especially in the area of water pollution. The city has spent more than $50 million on beaches and surrounding recreation areas since 2002. Part of the low scores focus on a shortage of lifeguards, as well as broken water fountains and closed bathrooms. Midland Beach on Staten Island scored the highest. Read More ***Less Litter on San Diego’s Beaches*** Even though San Diego’s beaches were once again covered with litter after July 4th celebrations, some feel that things are actually improving on the trash reduction front. San Diego has programs aimed at litter prevention, including expanded public-education campaigns, handing out garbage bags to beachgoers and banning smoking at various beaches. Others feel that things are not improving at all, citing the 196,000 pounds of trash picked-up during a coastal clean-up day in San Diego County last September, almost twice the amount picked up during the same event in 2002. Read More ***A Rehabbed Boston Area Beach *** The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has nearly completed a $7.8 million construction project at Quincy’s Wollaston Beach. The project, which includes new sand, road repaving, lighting, widened sidewalks, new seawalls, bathhouse repairs and plantings, is running a full year late. Some blame the contractors, who themselves blame the need to find the right kind of sand to complete the beach replenishment. Sewer improvement efforts have also limited beach closures due to pollution runoff this year, just in time to enjoy the rejuvenated beachfront. Read More **** About Clean Beaches Council ***** The mission of the Council is to promote awareness and volunteer participation in sustainability while ensuring a legacy of clean beaches for all generations to come. *** Contact Us *** 1225 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 450
Washington, DC 20005
Voice: 202-682-9507
Fax: 202-682-9506 Email: info@cleanbeaches.org
Visit our website at: www.cleanbeaches.org Editor: Rich Weissman (email: bradleybeach@comcast.net) Rich Weissman was born with salt water in his veins and sand in his shoes. This New Jersey native spent the better part of three decades summering and generally hanging out in Bradley Beach, where his family established deep roots back in the early 1900's. Currently an Assistant Professor at Endicott College in Beverly, MA, and author in the Boston area, Rich researches, writes about, and celebrates all 127 miles of the Jersey Shore, from Sandy Hook to Cape May, all while enjoying, year round, the gorgeous Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Rich holds an MS in Management from Lesley University and a BA in Economics from Rutgers University. Clean Beaches Council and Blue Wave are registered trademarks of the Clean Beaches Council (CBC). Seek the Wave and the Wave Design are service marks of CBC. Images shown on the CBC website are of certified Blue Wave beaches.
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