Could Sault Ste. Marie win one of these?

NEWS RELEASE

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE

********************** Blue flag awarded to Sauble Beach

First beach on Lake Huron to meet international standards for clean beaches SAUBLE BEACH, ON, July 7 - Sauble Beach measures up to world-class standards to qualify for the Blue Flag, an international award for clean beaches, Environmental Defence announced today. Environmental Defence - the Blue Flag coordinator in Canada - presented the Town of South Bruce Peninsula with a Blue Flag at a special ceremony at Sauble Beach this morning.

Town of South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Carl Noble, Friends of Sauble Beach and Environmental Defence joined together to raise the Blue Flag. "Environmental Defence is pleased to present a Blue Flag to Sauble Beach, the first Blue Flag beach on Lake Huron," said Sarah Winterton, programme director, Environmental Defence. "Flying a Blue Flag will tell visitors and residents alike that Sauble Beach is world-class." More than 2,500 beaches in over 30 countries, including four beaches in Toronto, fly the Blue Flag.

To qualify for a Blue Flag, beaches must meet 27 specific criteria based on water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety and services.

Water quality at Blue Flag beaches must meet Ontario's standards for recreational water quality (the most stringent in North America) at least 80 percent of the swimming season.

Blue Flags are awarded at the beginning of each swimming season.

Beaches can lose their Blue Flags during the season if they fail to meet the required criteria. "In cooperation with the Friends of Sauble Beach and our staff, we have proven that we have one of the finest beaches in Ontario," said Carl Noble, Mayor of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula. "We will continue to work together to maintain this prestigious honour." Working with Friends of Sauble Beach, a community group, Environmental Defence monitored Sauble Beach over the past two swimming seasons.

The monitoring results were reviewed and approved by two independent juries - the Blue Flag Great Lakes Regional Jury and the International Blue Flag Jury - before the Blue Flag was awarded to Sauble Beach. "For Sauble Beach to be the second community in all of North America to receive the Blue Flag status is indeed outstanding," said Ken Frook, Friends of Sauble Beach. "Friends of Sauble Beach is proud of the many improvements to the sand dune and shoreline ecosystems that have been implemented." Environmental Defence continues to monitor the Town of South Bruce Peninsula's compliance with the Blue Flag criteria, including the weekly water quality tests taken by the Grey Bruce Health Unit.

Water test results for Sauble Beach are available on Environmental Defence's Blue Flag Canada web site, www.BlueFlag.ca

About Blue Flag

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Denmark, owns and operates the Blue Flag Program.

Since 1987, Blue Flag has grown to include more than 2,500 beaches in over 30 countries.

Environmental Defence is the Canadian National Operator of Blue Flag.

Our goal is for beaches across Canada to meet national Blue Flag standards, ensuring that Canadians enjoy clean beaches.

About Environmental Defence

Environmental Defence protects the environment and human health. We research. We educate. We go to court when we have to. All in order to ensure clean air, safe food and thriving ecosystems. Nationwide.

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