Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming $302,000 in federal funding for American Samoa from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), authorized by Congress in the BEACH Act.
“The EPA is fulfilling one of its original key functions with these coastal water monitoring funds for health protection,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “Thank you to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a friend and former colleague in Congress, as well as Region 9 Administrator Josh F.W. Cook, as you work with our dedicated local department and American Samoa Government on this and other efforts throughout the year.”
In all, the EPA has announced $9.7 million in BEACH Act grant funding for states, Tribes, and territories to monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches. The goal is to notify the public when elevated levels of illness-causing bacteria make swimming unsafe.
The Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act was reauthorized by Congress in 2024. The EPA states these allocations advance the agency’s goals of cooperative federalism and ensuring that every American has access to clean and safe water. Each of these goals supports EPA’s “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative.
“Millions of Americans will travel to the beach this summer to relax or play in the water. They will make lifelong memories and provide a boon to local economies,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Peggy Browne. “With $9.7 million from EPA, states and local authorities can help ensure that our beaches are open for business and that beachgoers can swim and splash without fear of getting sick.”
