Report: Pollution Caused 1,800 Beach Closings or Advisories in New York, New Jersey

Sewage overflows and storm runoffs blamed

A new report says pollution prompted more than 1,800 beach closings or advisories along the Atlantic and Great Lakes coasts in New York and New Jersey last summer.

The 23rd annual beach quality report released Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council analyzed government data on water testing at more than 3,000 beaches nationwide. It found there were 1,871 closing and advisory days between New York and New Jersey last year.

The most common cause of contamination was storm water runoff, with sewage overflows also a factor.