Geese trouble

While a report from a national environmental action group found that pollution of New York's beachers has increased, one local state park is taking a proactive approach to ensure its waters remain open this summer.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council's annual beach water quality report, New York ranked eighth worst in the nation for the percent of days that exceeded health standards, increasing to 11 percent in 2007 from 9 percent in 2006. Last year, state beaches closed or had advisory days 1,547 times.

The primary source of the decreased water quality, the report states, is from storm water runoff and sewage contamination.