Water Quality

"The economic and social well-being of our coastal communities depend on strong follow through for funding and implementing programs that protect our beaches, recognize the value of watersheds to maintaining a healthy coast and rebuild our fisheries. As we now squarely focus on the pressures created by rapid growth, which include nonpoint source pollution, it makes tremendous sense to coordinate efforts whenever possible."

Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Ventura)

AB 639 (Nakano) Stormwater Discharges

Under existing law, storm water discharges are regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards under the national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program. Existing law requires regional boards to undertake reasonable efforts to identify storm water discharges that have not obtained coverage under an appropriate NPDES permit. This bill would require the board to select 3 beaches with high closure rates for participation in a pilot program pursuant to which best management practices would be required to be adopted for reducing the levels of contamination to which those beaches are subjected from the discharge of storm water from storm drain outlets. The bill would require the board to monitor contamination on those beaches resulting from the discharge of storm water for one year and to prepare a prescribed report on or before January 1, 2004.

Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000
(Public Law 106–284—Oct. 10, 2000)

EPA Draft National Beach Guidance and Grant Performance Criteria for Recreational Waters