America's Dirtiest Beaches With temperatures in the triple
digits in many parts of the United States and not far from it in
the rest of the country, lots of people are seeking relief on
the sandy shores. But before you head to the beach, you might
want to make sure that cool ocean air isn't carrying a whiff of
sewage first. Each year, the Natural Resources Defense Council
puts out a handy guide on water quality at ocean and Great Lake
beaches around the US. The latest report finds that 8 percent of
beach water samples collected by local officials in 2011
violated public health standards, leading public health agencies
to issue advisories or shut beaches down entirely. That might
not seem like a lot, but it adds up. Last year had the third-
highest number of closures or advisories in the 22 years NRDC
has published the report. Water quality was just as bad as it
was in 2010, NRDC found. "We're not seeing improvements the way
that one would hope we would see," said Jon Devine, a senior
attorney in NRDC's water p