Federal Grant Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 awarded the State of Washington Department of Ecology $270,693 under the Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants (CFDA 66.472) for the period December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026. This Formula Grant funds the state's beach monitoring and public notification program to protect swimmer health at Washington's recreational beaches. The Department of Ecology will administer a minimum of nine subawards through the Washington Department of Health to local health jurisdictions, collectively monitoring at least fifty beaches for enterococcus bacteria weekly or biweekly during the swimming season from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The program's primary deliverables include water quality monitoring data collection, public notification actions when bacterial levels exceed safe thresholds, and an annual summary report submitted to the EPA. Activities encompass bacteriological water quality testing at designated recreational beaches, timely public advisories and beach closures when fecal indicator bacteria or other pathogen indicators exceed notification thresholds, and opportunities for public review and comment on program operations. The program aims to reduce swimmer illness by providing residents and tourists with bacteriological information necessary to make informed decisions about beach visitation, while maintaining compliance with EPA's National Beach Guidance and the requirements of the Clean Water Act.