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Virginia mayor and lawmaker press DOI for reimbursement and clarity on lifeguard staffing bill
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Summary
Representative Kiggins and Chincoteague Mayor Denise Bowden described lifeguard shortages at Assateague Island and urged HR 5063 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to ensure lifeguard coverage and reimbursement for local costs; witnesses said the town and county remain unpaid for emergency coverage.
Representative Jen Kiggins and Mayor Denise Bowden told the Subcommittee on Federal Lands that H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, is necessary to prevent future lifeguard shortages on federal beaches.
Bowden described the Eastern Shore community’s reliance on Assateague Island for tourism and said a federal hiring freeze earlier in the year left the park unable to directly fund lifeguards; the town and county contracted private services that provided just 35 days of coverage this summer. She said local governments remain owed roughly $14,000 each for contracted lifeguard services and urged a clear federal framework to ensure timely staffing and reimbursement.
Representative Kiggins said the bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to work with local governments to ensure lifeguard coverage and reduce uncertainty about who pays in emergency seasons. Members asked DOI to clarify current reimbursement status; DOI submitted written testimony but did not provide an in-person witness for this bill at the hearing.
No vote occurred during the hearing; members signaled interest in ensuring reimbursement and clearer rules for federal-local cooperation ahead of the next season.
