Laws that Protect Our Beaches

• Clean Water Act
  The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972.

• BEACH Act
  The BEACH Act addresses pathogens and pathogen indicators in coastal recreation waters. It was signed into law on October 10, 2000, amending the Clean Water Act. The BEACH Act required EPA to develop performance criteria for testing, monitoring, and notifying public users of possible coastal recreation water problems.
• Clean Boating Act
  Congress passed the Clean Boating Act (CBA) in 2008 as another amendment to the Clean Water Act. The CBA requires EPA to identify discharges incidental to the normal operation of recreational vessels and to develop management practices can help to limit the amount of pollution discharged into our nation's waters.

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