Coalition Releases Annual Clean Beaches List
The ongoing Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster has had devastating effects on the annual list of clean beaches released by the Clean Beaches Coalition.
To be included, beaches must have been officially certified as clean, healthy, and environmentally well managed.
Water McLeod, founder of the Coalition noted, "My family has vacationed in the impacted region for years, and will continue to support that "special way of life" we have come to love."
This year beaches in 19 states and U.S. territories, including American Samoa, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, are on the list. (See complete list below).
For generations, American families have traveled to the shore for the simple pleasure of playing on sandy beaches, boating on the open seas, or swimming. Every year Americans make over 2 billion visits to ocean, gulf, and inland beaches. Beach recreation and tourism are estimated to contribute over $640 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
"The devastation in the Gulf of Mexico has crystallized the importance of clean beaches to Americans" stated McLeod. He pointed to the Blue Wave Program as a symbol of the need to protect our beaches. Blue Wave is the first environmental certification program for beaches in the United States. Now in its 11th year, the program is recognized as a reliable benchmark for well-maintained beaches.
2010 BLUE WAVE BEACHES
American Samoa Ofu Beach, National Park of American Samoa Olosega Beach, National Park of American Samoa
California Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore Wildcat Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore Limantour Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore Crescent Beach, Redwood National Park Gold Bluff Beach, Redwood National Park Enderts Beach, Redwood National Park
Florida (South Atlantic) Hollywood Beach Dania Beach Fort Lauderdale Beach Pompano Beach Deerfield Beach
Florida (Pan Handle) Inlet Beach Rosemary Beach Seacrest Seagrove Seaside Watercolor Grayton Blue Mountain Santa Rosa Dune Allen Sandestin Seascape Miramar Alys Beach DeerLake State Park Grayton Beach State Park Topsail Hill State Preserve Johnson Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore
Florida (Gulf Coast) Venice Beach Siesta Key Beach Caspersen Beach Lido Beach
Florida (North Atlantic) Jacksonville Beach
Hawaii Keauhou Landing, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Halape Shelter, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Ka' aha Beach, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Indiana Kemil Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Lake View Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Mount Baldy Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore West Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Maryland North Ocean Beach, Assateague Island National Seashore
Maine Sand Beach, Acadia National Park Echo Beach, Acadia National Park
Massachusetts Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore Herring Cove Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore Marconi Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore Nauset Light Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore Race Point Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore
Michigan Pere Marquette Beach Esch Beach, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore South Manitou Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Sand Pont Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
North Carolina North Core Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore South Core Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore
New Jersey North Beach, Sandy Hook National Seashore N. Gunnison Beach, Sandy Hook National Seashore
New York Sunken Forest Beach, Fire Island National Seashore Watch Hill Beach, Fire Island National Seashore
Oregon Cannon Beach
South Carolina Isle of Palms
Texas Rockport Beach Malaquite Beach, Padre Island National Seashore Little Shell Beach, Padre Island National Seashore Big Shell Beach, Padre Island National Seashore
Virginia Tom's Cove Beach, Assateague Island National Seashore
Washington Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park
Wisconsin Bradford Beach Milwaukee North Beach Racine Julian Bay Beach, Apostle Island National Lakeshore Little Sand Bay Beach, Apostle Island National Lakeshore Meyers Beach, Apostle Island National Lakeshore
U.S. Virgin Islands Trunk Bay, Virgin Islands National Seashore Maho, Virgin Islands National Seashore Hawksnest, Virgin Islands National Seashore