This agreement funds the recipient's beach monitoring program for the upcoming swimming season, including meeting performance criteria established by federal beaches environmental assessment and…

This $373,000 Project Grant award, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Beach Monitoring and Notification Program Implementation Grants (CFDA 66.472), supports the Texas General Land Office's (GLO) beach monitoring program for the 2024-2026 swimming seasons.

The program's key activities include monitoring water quality for pathogens at recreational beaches in Texas, notifying the public of water quality results and risks, issuing advisories or beach closures as needed, and reporting data to the EPA. The GLO will collaborate with sub-recipients such as the City of Corpus Christi, Lamar University, Eastex Environmental Laboratory, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to implement the monitoring program and deliver the required reporting. The objective is to reduce swimmer illness by providing the public with timely and accurate information to make informed decisions about beach visitation.

This agreement funds the recipient's beach monitoring program for the upcoming swimming season, including meeting performance criteria established by federal beaches environmental assessment and coastal health act (beach) to remain eligible for the beach grant. IT will fund the recipient's efforts to monitor water quality at designated recreational beaches in the state of texas and to notify the public when the waters exceed the beach notification threshold for bacteria. Activities:the activities to be performed include monitoring water quality for pathogens at recreational bathing beaches, notifying the public of the sample results and risks, issuing advisories or beach closures when water quality levels are exceeded, submitting information to environmental protection agency (EPA), and providing the public opportunities to review and comment on the program, especially whenever significant changes are made to the program. The recipient's program will be consistent with national beach guidance published at the time of grant award.subrecipient:finalize interlocal agreements with local governments and universities to continue implementation (monitoring) of the texas beach watch program as required by the beach act of 2000. FY 2024 funds will be allocated to various labs for testing beginning 09/01/2024 for a period of 12 months.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include submissions of water quality monitoring data, public notification actions, and an annual summary report. The objective of the program is to reduce swimmer illness by providing the public with bacteriological information so they can make informed decisions about which beaches to visit. Beneficiaries of the program include all residents and tourists that visit the texas beaches.