53 



12 



Through a grant to CMC, EPA is funding a project to design these statistical 

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

 proposed Beach Bill. This project involves local volunteer groups, "Citizen Pollution 

 Patrols" which are organized to perform uniform assessment, monitoring and 

 reporting of marine debris. The first year of this pilot study has been completed, 

 and the results indicate that it is possible to use properly trained volunteers to 

 collect statistically valid information on marine debris. This study we've 

 undertaken represents an excellent opportunity to develop a national methodology 

 for the sampling of marine debris and to obtain reliable data to better determine 

 and identify trends. EPA and NOAA are organizing a workshop, to be held in 

 November 1993, to discuss this new methodology and those used in other 

 programs to reach national recommendations on a single methodology based on all 

 available data. 



Regarding the proposed EPA report to Congress under section 5(b) of this 

 bill, we would like to suggest that because floatable materials are not indicators of 

 human-specific pathogens in coastal recreational waters, the requirement of 

 section 5 (b)(2) on floatables should be included as a requirement of section 406 

 (c)(1) instead. This would keep the Federal floatables requirements of the bill in 

 one place. 



