A “Report Card” on New York City Beaches produced by New Yorkers for Parks gave the Coney Island and Brighton Beach beaches one of two “unsatisfactory” grades in the city. The good news–well, not so good, really–is that only one beach in Staten Island was rated “satisfactory.” All the other beaches were rated as “challenged.” There are 14 miles of public beach in New York City. One of the biggest problems at all beaches is trash and litter, much of it the result of sewage discharges that dump hundreds of milions of gallons of untreated sewage and storm drain runoff into city waters every week. Nearly half of all shoreline inspections found “excessive glass and litter.”

The verdict on Coney Island and Brighton Beach:

All sections of the shoreline surveyed were open for use, but unfortunately excessive broken glass was found at 40% of transects. Excessive litter also impacted 40% of surveyed areas. These negative conditions had a significant impact on the shoreline score for this beach. Although pathways scored well, one quarter suffered from wooden boards that were raised or missing, causing potential trip hazards. Maintenance issues including spilled paint and loose nails should be addressed.

Meanwhile, Manhattan Beach did better, being rated as “challenged”:

Although some maintenance repairs were needed, Manhattan Beach’s pathways were free of litter, broken glass, and weeds. This was the highest-scoring feature at the beach. The shoreline at Manhattan Beach also performed relatively well. Beyond the consistent challenge of litter, the beach was in excellent condition, providing open, safe beaches for public use.

The group has also produced suggestions for making the beaches better. The reports can be found in PDF form at the NY4P website.