181 



John H>ll, Chairman 

 Pam Heed, Commissioner 

 ?cggf Garner, Commissioner 



TEXAS WATER COMMISSION 



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 July 6, 1993 



The Honorable Solomon P. Ortu 

 U.S. House of Representatives 

 Committee of Merchant Marine and Fisheries 

 Washington, D.C. 20515-6230 



Re: Proposed H.R. 31 - Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure and Health Act of 1993 



Dear Representative Ortiz: 



We appreciate the opportunity to provide comment on the proposed Beaches Environmental 

 Assessment. Closure, and Health Act of 1993 (H.R. 31). Efforts to protect the health and well- 

 being of all people utilizing our coastal resources merit the support by every federal, state and 

 local entity which has primary responsibility for our nation's coastal waters. Although the State 

 of Texas agrees in concept with the subject bill's goals of protecting public safety and improved 

 environmental quality of coastal recreation waters, we must be somewhat restrained with our 

 endorsement due to concerns about the required adoption of new criteria for indicator bacteria, 

 the level of effort that will be necessary to implement standardized water quality monitoring, and 

 the funding sources that will be necessary should the bill be enacted. 



The physical nature of the Texas coast is somewhat unique in the fact that much of the mainland 

 coast is protected by barrier islands. The Texas barrier island system stretches from Galveston 

 Bay to the Texas-Mexico border. There arc approximately 370 miles of linear coastline along 

 the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, there are seven major and three minor estuarinc systems, and 

 an estimated 1.5 million acres of open water bays. Bay shoreline is estimated to be 2,200 miles. 



Of the 370 miles of open Gulf shoreline in Texas, 367 miles are classified as beach. Under the 

 Texas Open Beaches Act, 293 miles are open for public use. Of these, 173 miles are considered 

 easily accessible; that is, accessible by driving along the shore or by walking no more than one 

 mile from a point that can be reached by a two-wheel-drive vehicle. Since the Act applies only 

 to sute-owned beaches bordering on the seaward shore of the Gulf, some 2,200 miles of bay 

 shoreline are not afforded the same free and unrestricted access to the public. However, many 

 recreational activities continue to take place along a significant portion of this shoreline. 



Section 3 of (he proposed legislation requires for states to adopt criteria for new Environmental 

 Protection Agency (EPA) indicator bacteria, which would change the State of Texas standard 

 from fecal coliform to Enterococcus (E. coli). We anticipate evaluating these new criteria over 

 the next few years to weigh the benefits of such a conversion. Our concerns center around the 



P.O. Dox 13087 • 1700 NorihCoiifif CSS Avenue • Ausiln, TexK 7871 1-3087 • 51 2/463-78.10 



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