Pallone Announces $258,000 for Jersey Shore Water Quality Monitoring Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that New Jersey will receive $258,000 in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor water quality at beaches across the state, helping protect swimmers and notify the public when contamination makes swimming unsafe.

The funding comes just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer tourism season at the Jersey Shore.

“New Jersey’s beaches drive our economy, support local jobs, and bring millions of people to the Shore every summer,” said Pallone. “This funding helps make sure beachgoers can trust that the water is safe before they dive in. It’s also exactly why I fought to strengthen and reauthorize the BEACH Act earlier this year — because protecting public health and protecting the Shore go hand in hand.”

The funding is provided through the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, landmark legislation originally authored by Pallone in 2000 to establish national standards for beach water testing and public notification systems.

Earlier this year, Pallone helped lead House passage of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the BEACH Act through 2031. The bill expands testing to include shallow waters where children and seniors are more likely to swim and gives states more tools to identify pollution sources before contamination reaches beaches.

Under the EPA grant program, states monitor coastal recreational waters for elevated bacteria levels and issue advisories or closures when conditions become unsafe for swimming.

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