California Leads Nation in Beach Closures

A report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)based on data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency found that pollution caused 7,214 beach closures or warnings for public beaches last year. California led the nation with 3,547 beach closings and warnings. Storm water runoff is the most common cause for beach pollution. In rural areas runoff of agricultural chemicals is also a problem. "The good news is we're seeing a more comprehensive picture of beach water quality than ever before," said Sarah Chasis, a senior attorney at NRDC and director of the beach report project. "The bad news is that the growing number of advisories and closings indicate that too little is being done to prevent beach pollution."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan