Ways to improve beach management and reduce public health risks at Great Lakes beaches were discussed at this conference.

Earlier this year, the U.S. EPA and the city of Chicago co-sponsored a conference to discuss ways to improve beach management and reduce public health risks at Great Lakes beaches. Topics discussed included beach monitoring and closure, the risks of E. Coli exposure, technical and funding resources to support beach management, and the importance of the recently passed federal BEACH Act, which established a national program for monitoring beach water quality and notifying the public of unsafe conditions.