ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER AREA BEACHES JOIN THE BLUE WAVE PROGRAM

Blue Wave beaches have been officially certified for environmental quality and public safety for the upcoming summer beach season. The Clean Beaches Council's Blue Wave Campaign is America's first national environmental beach certification program. It promotes responsible management by beaches and encourages greater public awareness of environmental, health and safety conditions at beaches.

"The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has a long history of monitoring and protecting the condition of its beaches," said Walter McLeod of the Clean Beaches Council. "By seeking the Blue Wave, they have sent a message that symbolizes clean and safe beaches managed with consideration for the environment."

The Blue Wave Campaign is a voluntary, annual certification program judging two classes of applicant beaches - rural and resort - against criteria in the following categories: water quality, beach and intertidal conditions, safety, services, habitat conservation, public information/education and erosion management. The distinctive Blue Wave flag functions as an eco-label, telling the public that the beach where it flies has met the Clean Beaches Council's standards for cleanliness, safety and environmentally sound management.

"Having healthy, safe beaches has always been a priority for us," said Carole Ketterhagen, Executive Director, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Being part of the Blue Wave Campaign continues to illustrate the area's shared priority of continuing to nurture, preserve and appreciate the beaches."

Florida's Beach, also known as the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area, has long been recognized for having some of the finest beaches in the United States. Caladesi Island State Park and Fort De Soto Park were rated number six and number seven by Florida International University's Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a coastal geologist, in his 1999 beach survey of more than 650 public beaches throughout the United States. Clearwater Beach was named top city beach in the Gulf region in a related survey. The Blue Wave Campaign does not provide a beach ranking, but is a voluntary and self-regulating program with the goal of continuing to protect and nourish the beaches whose environmental qualities have a direct impact on the local economy.

Established in 1998, the Clean Beaches Council is the only national nonprofit organization solely devoted to increasing public awareness of environmental, health and safety conditions at America's beaches. By encouraging sustainable development of America's coastal communities, the CBC aims to enhance economic growth while ensuring a legacy of clean beaches for generations to come. For more information on the Blue Wave Campaign, visit www.cleanbeaches.org.

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