September 13, 2019

Representatives Juan Vargas, Susan Davis, Scott Peters, and Mike Levin announced the introduction of their Tijuana River Valley Pollution Solution bill package in collective efforts to address transboundary pollution. The three separate bills represent a comprehensive approach to identify and prioritize funding for projects to lessen the risk of polluted flows:

• H.R. 3895 North American Development Bank Pollution Solution Act (R. Vargas and R. Peters) – Aims to expand funding opportunities within the North American Development Bank (NADBank) to finance and prioritize infrastructure projects related to wastewater treatment, water conservation, and water pollution. It also establishes the “U.S.-Mexico Border Public Health Trust Fund”.
• H. Reso. 511 Tijuana River Navy Impact Resolution (R. Davis) – Encourages the Department of the Navy to take a leading role in the mitigation of transboundary spills, discharges, and debris in the Tijuana River that impact national security interests.
• H.R. 4039 Border Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (R. Levin) – Increases authorization for the Border Water Infrastructure Fund to $150 million per year for the next five years and changes current funding allocation to fifty-fifty between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 (Texas and New Mexico) and Region 9 (California and Arizona).

For over 30 years, the Tijuana River watershed has experienced an increased discharge of trash, sediment, and wastewater causing over 500 beach closures and advisories in the U.S. since 2015. The Chamber continues to work with both the U.S. and Mexican governments advocating for a binational work plan to increase measurable efforts in mitigating pollution. The issue will be one of our top priorities during our upcoming delegation trip to Washington D.C. at the end of this month.