The purpose of this grant agreement is to fund the applicant's efforts to collect water samples from designated recreational beaches in maine

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) received a $258,000 Project Grant award effective January 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, under the Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants (CFDA 66.472) administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1. This grant funds ME DEP's efforts to monitor bacteriological water quality at designated recreational beaches throughout Maine and implement a public notification system to inform residents and tourists when water quality standards are exceeded. Key deliverables include collection and laboratory analysis of water samples from coastal beaches, maintenance and operation of a public notification system, enhancement of laboratory capabilities and web-based data systems with Geographic Information System (GIS) coverage, provision of technical assistance to communities for pollution assessment, and annual electronic reporting to the EPA in specified formats.

The grant incorporates a subaward to the Maine Conservation Corps, which will employ an Environmental Steward responsible for sample collection at select recreational marine beaches. The program is designed to protect public health by reducing disease transmission risk from contaminated recreational waters and enabling residents and visitors to make informed swimming decisions based on current bacteriological water quality data. All residents and tourists utilizing Maine's marine beaches represent the intended beneficiary population.

The water samples will be tested for bacteriological water quality and the public will be notified when the waters exceed the applicable water quality standards and when they are safe for swimming. These public notification efforts will protect human health by reducing the risk to the bathing public of contracting diseases from contaminated water.activities:the maine department of environmental protection (me DEP) will monitor designated recreational beaches in maine for bacteriological water quality and notify the public when the waters exceed the applicable water quality standards. Activities include: monitoring and analysis of indicator bacteria at coastal beaches; maintaining and operating a public notification system; improving laboratory capability and web-based data systems, including GIS coverage; providing technical assistance to communities to assess pollution at specific beaches; and annually reporting to EPA the results of monitoring and notification actions electronically and in an EPA-specified format.subrecipient:this subaward will fund an environmental steward from the maine conservation corps, who will be responsible for sample collection at select recreational marine beaches in maine.outcomes:deliverables in the maine department of environmental protection's (me DEP) workplan include reporting consistent with EPA and beach program guidance and schedules on water sampling and public notification efforts. The applicant will also submit beach monitoring data to EPA in an EPA-approved format. Beneficiaries of the applicant's efforts include all residents and tourists that utilize maine's marine beaches.