CHINCOTEAGUE, VA - Mayor Denise Bowden traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify before the House Natural Resources Committee in support of legislation to ensure federal beaches like Assateague Island National Seashore are fully staffed with lifeguards.
Virginia Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-District 2) introduced H.R. 5063, the SAFE Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, in early September. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to ensure proper lifeguard coverage on federal beaches. It also empowers local governments to hire lifeguards during shortages, with the assurance of reimbursement.
Chincoteague and Accomack County are still waiting to be reimbursed $14,000 each after paying the difference with the National Park Service to contract lifeguards for the end of the 2025 summer season.
The public beaches at Assateague National Seashore were without lifeguards for all but 35 days after federal budget cuts eliminated the positions.
"It's federal land and it's a federal beach, Federal Park Service, Federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife," Bowden said. "They need to step up to the plate and have it protected like they always have."
Bowden told WBOC on Thursday that working with Congresswoman Kiggans has been a productive step forward.
During her testimony, she emphasized the strain on Chincoteague's EMS when lifeguards are not properly staffed on Assateague. Summer traffic makes it difficult for first responders to reach the beaches quickly and diverts resources away from emergencies in the town of Chincoteague.
The SAFE Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act has garnered bipartisan support in the subcommittee. Bowden hopes it moves quickly to the full U.S. House of Representatives.
"We're already going to be talking with the National Park Service come January to make sure they have their items in place that they need," Bowden said. "Whether that's them hiring lifeguards again like they did in the previous years or whether it's them contracting out again, but this bill that Congressman Higgans has put forth, you know, should take care of that."
