SACO – Christine Todd Whitman, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, was in Maine on Friday to announce the designation of Ferry Beach State Park in Saco as a “Flagship Beach” for EPA’s Region I. Whitman also announced that the state planning office was awarded $259,742 from the EPA for a beach monitoring initiative.

U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins said in a joint statement, “We are delighted the EPA is recognizing Maine’s participation in this promising new beach initiative. Our state is known for its rocky coast and pristine environment, which is why we must do all we can to prevent pollution and improve monitoring of water quality.”

Both senators were in Washington and unable to attend the Maine event with Whitman.

This year, the EPA is making $10 million in beach grants available to Maine and 34 other coastal and Great Lakes states and territories, with allocations based on factors such as the length of the beach season, the number of miles of beaches and the number of people using beaches. Maine’s $259,742 allocation reflects the popularity of the state’s beaches, and will assist the state and local communities in improving water quality monitoring and establishing a notification and warning process if beaches must be closed.