H.R.2537 - Beach Protection Act of 2008

To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act relating to beach monitoring, and for other purposes. view all titles (4)

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All Bill Titles

  • Short: Beach Protection Act of 2008 as passed house.
  • Short: Beach Protection Act of 2007 as introduced.
  • Official: To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act relating to beach monitoring, and for other purposes. as introduced.
  • Short: Beach Protection Act of 2007 as reported to house.

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Bill's Views

  • Today: 6
  • Past Seven Days: 19
  • All-Time: 3,840
 
Introduced
 
House
Passed
 
Senate
Passes
 
President
Signs
 

 
05/23/07
 
04/16/08
 
 
 
 
 

Official Bill Text Comment on about 15 Pages
 

Latest Vote

Result: Passed - April 16, 2008

Roll call number 201 in the House

Question: Sustaining the Ruling of the Chair: H R 2537 Beach Protection Act

Required percentage of 'Aye' votes: 1/2 (50%)
Percentage of 'aye' votes: 49%
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Democrats Voting 'Aye'

Neil Abercrombie
Rep. Gary Ackerman [D, NY-5]
Thomas Allen
Rep. Jason Altmire [D, PA-4]
Rep. Robert Andrews [D, NJ-1]
Michael Arcuri
Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
Brian Baird
Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
Melissa Bean
Rep. Xavier Becerra [D, CA-31]
Rep. Shelley Berkley [D, NV-1]
Rep. Howard Berman [D, CA-28]
Rep. Sanford Bishop [D, GA-2]
Rep. Timothy Bishop [D, NY-1]
Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D, GU-0]
Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]
Rep. Leonard Boswell [D, IA-3]
Frederick Boucher
Allen Boyd
Nancy Boyda
Rep. Bruce Braley [D, IA-1]
Rep. George Butterfield [D, NC-1]
Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
Rep. Michael Capuano [D, MA-8]
Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D, CA-18]
Rep. Russ Carnahan [D, MO-3]
Christopher Carney
Rep. André Carson [D, IN-7]
Rep. Kathy Castor [D, FL-11]
Rep. Ben Chandler [D, KY-6]
Rep. Yvette Clarke [D, NY-11]
Rep. William Clay [D, MO-1]
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5]
Rep. James Clyburn [D, SC-6]
Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]
Rep. Jim Costa [D, CA-20]
Rep. Jerry Costello [D, IL-12]
Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
Robert Cramer
Rep. Joseph Crowley [D, NY-7]
Rep. Henry Cuellar [D, TX-28]
Rep. Elijah Cummings [D, MD-7]
Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
Artur Davis
Rep. Susan Davis [D, CA-53]
Lincoln Davis
Rep. Peter DeFazio [D, OR-4]
Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
William Delahunt
Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
Rep. Norman Dicks [D, WA-6]
Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D, TX-25]
Rep. Joe Donnelly [D, IN-2]
Rep. Michael Doyle [D, PA-14]
Thomas Edwards
Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
Brad Ellsworth
Rahm Emanuel
Rep. Eliot Engel [D, NY-17]
Rep. Anna Eshoo [D, CA-14]
Bob Etheridge
Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
Bill Foster
Rep. Barney Frank [D, MA-4]
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8]
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY]
Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D, TX-20]
Barton Gordon
Rep. Raymond Green [D, TX-29]
Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]
Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez [D, IL-4]
John Hall
Phil Hare
Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Rep. Brian Higgins [D, NY-27]
Baron Hill
Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa [D, TX-15]
Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
Paul Hodes
Rep. Tim Holden [D, PA-17]
Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
Rep. Michael Honda [D, CA-15]
Darlene Hooley
Rep. Steny Hoyer [D, MD-5]
Rep. Jay Inslee [D, WA-1]
Rep. Steve Israel [D, NY-2]
Rep. Jesse Jackson [D, IL-2]
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
William Jefferson
Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]
Rep. Henry Johnson [D, GA-4]
Stephanie Jones
Steve Kagen
Paul Kanjorski
Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
Patrick Kennedy
Rep. Dale Kildee [D, MI-5]
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
Ron Klein
Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D, OH-10]
Rep. James Langevin [D, RI-2]
Rep. Rick Larsen [D, WA-2]
Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
Rep. Sander Levin [D, MI-12]
Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
Rep. Daniel Lipinski [D, IL-3]
Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D, CA-16]
Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
Rep. Stephen Lynch [D, MA-9]
Tim Mahoney
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
Rep. Edward Markey [D, MA-7]
James Marshall
Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D, NY-4]
Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
Rep. Mike McIntyre [D, NC-7]
Rep. Jerry McNerney [D, CA-11]
Michael McNulty
Rep. Gregory Meeks [D, NY-6]
Charles Melancon
Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]
Rep. Bradley Miller [D, NC-13]
Harry Mitchell
Alan Mollohan
Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
Dennis Moore
Rep. James Moran [D, VA-8]
Patrick Murphy
Rep. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
John Murtha
Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]
Rep. Richard Neal [D, MA-2]
James Oberstar
David Obey
Rep. John Olver [D, MA-1]
Solomon Ortiz
Rep. Frank Pallone [D, NJ-6]
Rep. William Pascrell [D, NJ-8]
Rep. Edward Pastor [D, AZ-4]
Rep. Donald Payne [D, NJ-10]
Rep. Ed Perlmutter [D, CO-7]
Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
Earl Pomeroy
Rep. David Price [D, NC-4]
Rep. Nick Rahall [D, WV-3]
Rep. Silvestre Reyes [D, TX-16]
Rep. Laura Richardson [D, CA-37]
Ciro Rodriguez
Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
Rep. Steven Rothman [D, NJ-9]
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D, CA-34]
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger [D, MD-2]
Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
John Salazar
Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D, CA-47]
Rep. Linda Sánchez [D, CA-39]
Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
Rep. Adam Schiff [D, CA-29]
Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
Rep. David Scott [D, GA-13]
Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]
Carol Shea-Porter
Rep. Brad Sherman [D, CA-27]
Rep. Heath Shuler [D, NC-11]
Rep. Albio Sires [D, NJ-13]
Ike Skelton
Rep. Adam Smith [D, WA-9]
Victor Snyder
Hilda Solis
Zachary Space
Rep. Jackie Speier [D, CA-12]
John Spratt
Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
Bart Stupak
Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
John Tanner
Ellen Tauscher
Gene Taylor
Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2]
Rep. Michael Thompson [D, CA-1]
Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]
Rep. Niki Tsongas [D, MA-5]
Sen. Tom Udall [D, NM]
Sen. Mark Udall [D, CO]
Rep. Christopher Van Hollen [D, MD-8]
Rep. Nydia Velázquez [D, NY-12]
Rep. Peter Visclosky [D, IN-1]
Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1]
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D, FL-20]
Rep. Maxine Waters [D, CA-35]
Diane Watson
Rep. Melvin Watt [D, NC-12]
Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
Rep. Peter Welch [D, VT-0]
Robert Wexler
Charles Wilson
Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
Rep. John Yarmuth [D, KY-3]
Close

Republicans Voting 'Aye'

Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
Close

Others Voting 'Aye'

Close

Others Voting 'Abstain'

 

Official Summary

4/16/2008--Passed House amended. Beach Protection Act of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize states or local governments, in carrying out coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification programs, t
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Official Summary

4/16/2008--Passed House amended. Beach Protection Act of 2008 -

(Sec. 2)

Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize states or local governments, in carrying out coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification programs, to develop and implement a coastal recreation waters pollution source identification and tracking program for waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of access that are used by the public and that are not meeting applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators. Requires states or local governments, if they identify a source of pathogenic contamination, to make information on the existence of such source available to the public on the Internet within 24 hours.
Authorizes appropriations for grants to states and local governments for developing and implementing monitoring and notification programs for FY2007-FY2012. Prohibits such funds from being used for a congressional earmark.


(Sec. 3)

Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 through FY2012.


(Sec. 4)

Requires a state recipient of a monitoring and notification program grant to report to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on actions taken to notify state environmental agencies with authority to prevent or treat sources of pollution in coastal recreation waters when water quality standards are exceeded.


(Sec. 5)

Requires grant recipients to identify:
(1) the use of a rapid testing method to detect levels of pathogens or pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health;
(2) the availability of a geographic information system database that a state or local government program shall use to inform the public about coastal recreation waters;
(3) measures for communicating the results of a water sample concerning pollutants within 24 hours of receipt to specified officials and all state agencies with authority to require the prevention or treatment of the sources of pollution in coastal recreation waters;
(4) measures for an annual report to the Administrator on the occurrence, nature, location, pollutants involved, and extent of any exceeding of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators;
(5) a publicly accessible and searchable global information system database, with information updated within 24 hours of its availability, organized by beach and with defined standards, sampling plans, monitoring protocols, sampling results, and the number and causes of beach closures and advisory days;
(6) measures for the immediate posting of signs at beaches that are sufficient to give public notice following the results of any water quality sample that demonstrates an exceeding of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators for the adjacent waters; and
(7) measures to ensure that closures or advisories are made within 24 hours after a state government determines that its coastal recreation waters are not meeting water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators. Requires the Administrator to:
(1) include a revised list of rapid testing methods in the publication of new or revised water quality criteria;
(2) publish with such criteria a list of pathogens and pathogen indicators studied;
(3) complete an evaluation and validation of a rapid testing method for the water quality criteria and standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators by October 1, 2010; and
(4) publish guidance for the use, at coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches that are used by the public, of rapid testing methods that will enhance the protection of public health and safety through rapid public notification of any exceeding of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators. Defines the term "rapid testing method" as a method of testing the water quality of coastal recreation waters for which results are available as soon as practicable and not more than six hours after a water quality sample is received by the testing facility.


(Sec. 8)

Requires:
(1) a review by the Administrator of state and local compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements and grant conditions;
(2) corrective actions by governments not in compliance;
(3) a review by the Comptroller General of such compliance review and corrective actions; and
(4) a study and a report by the Administrator on the formula for the distribution of grants for coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification programs.


(Sec. 12)

Requires the Administrator to assess and report to Congress on the benefits of using molecular diagnostics for monitoring and assessing the quality of coastal recreation waters adjacent to public beaches.


(Sec. 13)

Requires the Administrator to:
(1) review and update as necessary existing monitoring protocols for mercury affecting the coastal recreation waters of the Great Lakes; and
(2) develop updated recommendations on testing for mercury affecting such waters, including in Great Lakes sediment and fish tissue. Authorizes appropriations.


(Sec. 14)

Requires the Administrator to update the national list of beaches within 12 months after this Act's enactment and biennially thereafter (currently, periodically).


(Sec. 15)

Requires the Administrator to study and report to Congress on the long-term impact of climate change on pollution of coastal recreation waters.


...Read the Rest

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Recent News Coverage

View All (6)  |  View Top Rated

04/20/08
Miller votes for reauthorization of the BEACH Protection Act

Candice Miller, MI-10, voted Wednesday in support of the BEACH Protection Act. The legislation — HR 2537 — would reauthorize the Beaches Environmental ...

Source: Huron Daily Tribune, MI
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04/16/08
Millions of Americans Will Be Safer in the Water; House Approves ...

WASHINGTON, DC - April 17 - The US House of Representatives last night passed the Beach Protection Act (HR 2537), which provides federal funds to beachwater ...

Source: Common Dreams (press release), ME
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04/16/08
SOUTH JERSEY: LoBiondo lauds passage of beach-protection act

Frank A. LoBiondo applauded the passage of HR 2537, the “Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act,” which includes provisions that he ...

Source: Vineland Daily Journal, NJ
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Recent Blog Coverage

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05/19/09
H.R.2537: Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2009 - U.S. Congress ...

Or, if you know of a news article about this bill to display here, email us the web address of this page and the web address of your suggested news article: Our editorial team will post relevant links as quickly as possible. Thanks for helping to build pub

Source: opencongress.org
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10/30/08
Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008

The very next day (April 16th, 2008), Ron Paul voted Yes to the Beach Protection Act (HR 2537) which is an uber-bureaucratic piece of legislation devoid of constitutional authorization, a bill that includes an Environmental Protection ...

Source: Videos Recently Watched
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09/28/08
house of representatives voting record Emergency Assistance for ...

The very next day (April 16th, 2008), Ron Paul voted Yes to the Beach Protection Act (HR 2537) which is an uber-bureaucratic piece of legislation devoid of constitutional authorization, a bill that includes an Environmental Protection ...

Source: Hot Trend from World
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