17 



problems in U.S. harbors. We are working with NOAA, under an 

 interagency agreement, to fund the annual international beach 

 cleanup activities. 



Through a grant with the Center for Marine Conservation, we 

 are funding a project to design statistically validated beach clean- 

 ups. This activity is very similar to one of the requirements in the 

 proposed beach bill. 



In conclusion, EPA supports the concept and approach of the pro- 

 posed legislation and we agree with many of its provisions. We rec- 

 ognize that there are science issues that need to be addressed fur- 

 ther, to further our understanding of potential pollution problems 

 in recreation waters. However, as I stated, the agency has many ac- 

 tivities already in place to address this risk, both in the area of pol- 

 lution prevention and development of criteria and standards. 



This concludes my remarks. I will be happy to answer any ques- 

 tions that you may have. 



Mr. Ortiz. Thank you very much. 



We will ask questions once we are finished with the panel. 



[The statement of Ms. Stasikowski can be found at the end of the 

 hearing.] 



STATEMENT OF VICKIE A. ALLIN, CHIEF, POLICY COORDINATION 

 DIVISION, OFFICE OF COASTAL REVENUE MANAGEMENT, 

 NOAA; ACCOMPANIED BY THOMAS O'CONNOR, CHIEF, COASTAL 

 MONITORING BRANCH, OFFICE OF OCEAN RESOURCES, CO- 

 ORDINATION AND ASSESSMENT 



Mr. Ortiz. We now would like to hear from Ms. Allin. 



Ms. Allin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Good afternoon. I am Vickie Allin, Chief of the Policy Coordina- 

 tion Division of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 

 Management. And with me today is Dr. Thomas O'Connor, who is 

 Chief of the Coastal Monitoring Branch in NOAA's Office of Ocean 

 Resources, Conservation and Assessment. 



NOAA recognizes the serious problems of coastal pollution and 

 beach and marine debris that threaten the Nation's beaches and 

 coastal waters. We believe that uniform standards and procedures 

 for beach testing and monitoring as called for in H.R. 31 are 

 needed to protect public safety and improve the quality of coastal 

 recreational waters. However, we believe that actions underway or 

 planned under new and existing authorities will accomplish the 

 bill's objectives, as I will explain. 



Continuing problems of closed shellfish beds and restricted recre- 

 ational areas require increased efforts to improve coastal water 

 quality. For that reason, NOAA supports the objective of H.R. 31 to 

 protect public safety and improve water quality, by requiring uni- 

 form standards and procedures for beach testing and monitoring. 



Standards used to evaluate the public health risks of recreational 

 beach quality should be consistent throughout the United States. 

 In the absence of consistent standards, beaches that are closed by 

 one State's standards could be opened by the standards applied in 

 another State. 



