Maryland ranks eighth out of 30 coastal states when it comes to water quality at its beaches. According to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, two-percent of samples taken at Maryland’s 71 coastal and bay beaches, showed levels of contamination in 2008. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan is proud of their beaches. He said not only are their beaches beautiful, people now know how safe they are. It is an improvement over 2008 when Maryland beaches were closed for 61-days because of pollution, compared to 243 days the previous year.