News & Updates

Otay Mesa East Border Update at Infrastructure, Housing, and Land Use Committee

Policy

September 16, 2019

At the August meeting of the Chamber’s Infrastructure, Housing, and Land Use Committee, the group was briefed on the Otay 2 status and next steps. Otay 2 is the new planned border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana. Although the crossing will allow cars and pedestrians, it is largely designed for truck and commercial vehicle usage. Currently, SANDAG is working on developing the State Route 11 freeway in response to increased demand from the new crossing. This port is important in reducing overall wait times.

America and Our Trade Partners Still Waiting for the USMCA

Policy

September 16, 2019

Chamber meeting with Senator Ana Guevara to discuss USMCA

Trade policy unquestionably impacts our local economy which depends on an integrated supply chain valued at $2.5 billion and supports more than 110,000 San Diego jobs. Viewed as the most consequential trade policy in our time, The United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, USMCA, must be brought forward for a vote in Congress in order to take effect.

As part of our outreach and advocacy efforts for the USMCA, the Chamber and the San Diego and Imperial District Export Council co-hosted a special roundtable discussion on the trade agreement with Ana Guevara, Deputy Assistant Secretary for U.S. Operations at the U.S. Department of Commerce and International Trade Administration. Deputy Assistant Secretary Guevara highlighted that our economic relationship with Mexico benefits and strengthens U.S. companies while creating local jobs and generating savings for families. Ratification of the USMCA is vital to strengthening the economy, growing jobs, and supporting communities on both sides of the border.

To help bring this forward for a vote, please contact your Congress members and urge them to pass the USMCA trade agreement today. The time is now for Congress to act and to take advantage of all that USMCA has to offer.

Cross Border Business Forum Recap – A taste of CaliBaja’s Brewery Industry

InternationalPolicy

September 16, 2019

Recognized as the Craft Beer of America, San Diego County is home to 130 craft breweries producing over 1 million barrels of beer during 2017. San Diego provides a diverse selection of brewery styles and sensations across the country and has brought back 45 medals from the Great American Beer Festival since 2014. The craft beer industry supports 6,275 jobs in San Diego County and produced an economic impact of $1.1 billion in 2017. South of the border, Baja California’s brewing scene comprises more than 80 craft breweries and continues to grow, strategically positioning as a complement of the Baja Med culinary experience. This opened the door to a new kind of partnership for CaliBaja, allowing breweries such as SouthNorte to open the first independent American brewery with a tasting room and full-time brewing operations in Mexico.

The Cross Border Business Forum featured industry experts joined by Diana Puetz, Director of Public Affairs for the San Diego Padres, who served as moderator for the panel:

  • Brandon Richards | CEO, South Norte Brewery, San Diego
  • JJ Feregrino | Founding Director, Baja Brewmasters & Co-Founder, Cerveceria Colibre, Tecate
  • Amy Spackman | San Diego Chapter Leader, Pink Boots Society
  • Alfredo Rodriguez | Co-Founder, Cerveceria Icono, Mexicali
  • Alan Celis | Co-Founder, Cerveceria Doble C, Ensenada

Panelists shared best practices and lessons learned from the challenges they each faced as entrepreneurs, from permits and licensing to dealing with distribution and setting a competitive price point where commercial beer brands are in advantage. They also shared stories of cross-border collaboration, highlighting the importance of connecting cultures across our region and coexisting in a binational tourism market.

In addition, the Pink Boots Society and SouthNorte recognized the need to encourage, promote, and empower women in the craft beer industry and shared information about how they each have programs that provide assistance to women to venture into the industry and succeed. The forum was broadcasted via the Chamber’s Facebook page and is available here.

Please save the date for the upcoming Cross Border Business Forum will take place on Wednesday, October 30th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Tijuana.

International Tribute Luncheon – Save the Date!

InternationalPolicy

September 16, 2019

The Chamber’s annual International Tribute Luncheon provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals and businesses that have made a significant impact on the binational efforts bridging U.S. and Mexican economies. Previous awardees include Mexican Ambassador Marcela Celorio for Binational Leader of the Year; Mexican Customs (Servicio de Administración Tributaria) & U.S. Customs and Border Protection for Cross-Border Collaboration; and Cross Border Xpress (CBX) for the Change Maker Award.

Save the date for this year’s International Tribute Luncheon, which will take place Thursday, November 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Omni San Diego Hotel.

Meeting New Baja & Tijuana Incoming Administrations

InternationalPolicy

September 16, 2019

Chamber President & CEO Jerry Sanders and staff met with the incoming administrations for the State of Baja California and City of Tijuana to strengthen bilateral relations and identify priority issues to work on collaboratively. Both administrations shared a concern and urgency to address transboundary pollution impacting the Tijuana River Valley and committed to prioritize the issue with measurable results expected within the first 100 days of his administration. Other priorities discussed included advancing border infrastructure projects to enhance trade within our region such as the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry.

The meeting, organized by Alfonso Bustamante, included Baja’s incoming Secretary of Economic Development Mario Escobedo Carignan, and Tijuana’s Mayor-elect Arturo González Cruz. Also in attendance, Carolina Chávez, Director of Binational Affairs and Public Relations at SIMNSA Health Plan, who serves on the Chamber’s International Business Affairs Committee and two incoming officials for the City of Tijuana: Arturo Perez Behr, who will serve as Secretary of Economic Development, and Elias Laniado serving as Director of Binational Affairs.

The Chamber Board of Directors includes a trustee seat for the State of Baja California and City of Tijuana. We look forward to continuing the collaboration with our partners to boost cross-border commerce and enhance our binational community.

 

Elected Officials Reception & SCEDC 30th Anniversary Celebration

EventsPolicy

September 16, 2019

The South County Economic Development Council, together with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, cordially invite you to attend the Elected Officials Reception & 30th SCEDC Anniversary Celebration.

This will be an excellent opportunity for local officials, business leaders, and community stakeholders to address important matters with elected officials, recognize the economic accomplishments in South County over the last 30 years, and network with decision-makers.

Please save the date for Elected Officials Reception & 30th SCEDC Anniversary Celebration will take place Thursday, October 17th, 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm, at the Coronado Cays Yacht Club (located at 30 N Caribe Cay Blvd, Coronado, CA, 92118).

Tijuana River Valley Pollution Solution Bill Introduced

InternationalNewsPolicy

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.

Member Spotlight: Seymore San Diego

Member Spotlight

September 13, 2019

Seymore San Diego - Buy local, be rewarded

Are you looking for a better way to attract local customers? Well, here it is! Introducing ​Seymore San Diego​, a free #BuyLocal Loyalty & Rewards App for consumers looking to support local businesses.

Now you can promote your business to local consumers who actually WANT to hear from you. No bots, no fake profiles, no exaggerated traffic counters – just real San Diego humans who support #BuyLocal.

The Seymore San Diego app is an extension of the Free WiFi San Diego project that is spreading safe, secure and reliable Free WiFi that doesn’t sell the end-users private information or their browsing history like other online services might.

Join the Seymore San Diego revolution today, call (858) 345-1616 or sign up at https://www.seymore.app/for-retailers/​. Reward locals for choosing to buy local and support local San Diego businesses.
Remember, it’s ​completely free​ for your business to sign up and participate, plus it’s super easy to use! Once you join you can sit back as Seymore and our wonderful team go to work to bring you more customers.

● Simple to join ● They do all the setup for/with you. ● No new hardware or software integrations with your current POS ● Your business gets promoted everywhere Free WiFi San Diego builds a new network ● End users earn points for great prizes when they make a purchase from you

All that and it’s FREE! How can you not love something so easy to participate in!
List your business our directory today at ​www.seymore.app​ – ​it’s FREE for all SDRCC members! ​Operated in association with​ ​www.freewifisandiego.com​.

 

Member Spotlight: TSA Construction, Inc.

Member Spotlight

August 29, 2019

TSA Construction Logo

 

TSA Construction is a second-generation, family-owned and operated general contractor based in San Diego. They offer a hands-on, collaborative approach to their clients’ vision and believe in building their communities for a better future. TSA Construction recently broke ground on The Salvation Army’s Rady Residence located at the existing Door of Hope Campus, home to programs serving homeless families of San Diego.

When complete, the Rady Residence project will consist of a new 37,900-square-foot, 4-story building that will provide 32 residential units (1, 2, and 3 bedrooms) with a 1-story Housing Services Wing. The Housing Services Wing will consist of an activity room, playroom, offices, and a laundry room and will help support residents of the new building as well as the residents of the existing Transitional Living Center, which provides each family with an apartment while they work on ending their homelessness. Amid a homelessness crisis, San Diego County has the fourth-largest homeless population nationwide, according to the Salvation Army.

TSA Construction’s primary goal is exceeding their client’s expectations in all aspects of the construction process. Their values of integrity, honesty, and accountability are implemented throughout the duration of every project. TSA’s success with client satisfaction is demonstrated through their proven track record of repeat clients. They have completed projects in California, Arizona, and as far as the Caribbean. TSA specializes in ground-up construction, site development and renovations, tenant improvements, and historical and building renovations. Their wide range of experience includes hotel, Class A office, multi-family, religious, retail, Native American gaming, restaurant, and hospital. To learn more about TSA Construction and view their project experience visit www.tsaci.com

You can find them on Facebook and Instagram: @tsaconstructioninc

Rady Residence Front Entry Rendering

New SDG&E Program to Help Businesses Transition to Zero-Emission Transportation

NewsPolicy

August 20, 2019

To support regional and statewide goals to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from tailpipes, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) will launch a major effort to help electrify large vehicles and industrial equipment, revving up zero-emission transportation beyond passenger vehicles.

On August 15th, 2019, SDG&E received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to build charging infrastructure for a minimum of 3,000 plug-in medium-duty and heavy-duty (MD/HD) electric vehicles and equipment, including transit buses, school buses, delivery trucks, and forklifts. This initiative also supports the electrification of refrigerated semi-truck trailers, which are vital for transporting perishable goods.

“Imagine a future where zero-emission trucks carry produce and merchandise to your local stores and zero-emission school buses pick up and drop off your children,” said Estela de Llanos, vice president of clean transportation, sustainability and chief environmental officer at SDG&E. “With this new initiative, our region is headed to a new phase of the clean transportation movement.”

Currently, the vast majority of charging infrastructure in the region is built for passenger cars. SDG&E’s new program will be the first large-scale program of its kind in the region to build chargers for local businesses and public agencies looking to transition to zero-emission transportation. The program will be implemented over five years and will also help stimulate a new economic sector that’s emerging to support the installation and maintenance of charging equipment.

Part of this approval is a new innovative technology where buses can provide energy back to the grid. The vehicle-to-grid pilot for large batteries on electric school buses will soak up electrons from the grid when energy is plentiful—such as during the day when there is abundant solar power—and discharge the energy when there is a high demand on the power grid.

The service areas of SDG&E, San Diego and southern Orange County, is home to more than 103,000 Class 2 through Class 8 commercial vehicles, including trucks that operate around the congested ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border and the Port of San Diego. These vehicles range in weight from 6,000 pounds to more than 33,000 pounds. In California, heavy duty vehicles produce more particulate matter than all of the state’s power plants combined and can cause or worsen asthma and other health conditions.

The state’s transportation sector also accounts for more than 40 percent of all GHGs, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). There is a statewide mandate to reduce GHGs by 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030.

To clean up the air in areas suffering from the highest levels of pollution, socio-economic distress, and health impacts, 30 percent of the charging equipment installed through the MD/HD program will be targeted at vehicles and equipment that are based in those areas.

“As the region’s air quality regulatory agency, the District is increasingly focused on opportunities to reduce emissions from mobile sources, which are responsible for the vast majority of harmful smog-forming air pollutants and greenhouse gases in the region,” said Robert Kard, air pollution control officer at the County of San Diego Air Pollution Control District. “SDG&E’s MD/HD initiative would provide EV charging stations to support large equipment and vehicles that pollute our air, therefore reducing harmful emissions.”

When local EV drivers plug in their vehicles, they are charging with some of the cleanest energy in America because around 45 percent of the electricity SDG&E delivers to homes and businesses comes from renewable sources, such as solar and wind. That is more than four times higher than the national average of about 10 percent.

SDG&E’s MD/HD program was developed under the Clean Energy & Pollution Reduction Act, Senate Bill 350 (SB 350), which recognizes that widespread transportation electrification is required to meet the state’s goals to reduce GHGs. To support the adoption of MD/HD electric vehicles and equipment, SDG&E also recently filed an application with the CPUC for permission to create a new optional electricity pricing plan that would increase the price competitiveness of electricity as a transportation fuel for businesses that make the switch to electrically powered equipment.

The MD/HD program builds on SDG&E’s clean transportation initiatives. Under the Power Your Drive program, SDG&E has installed around 3,000 chargers at apartments, condo complexes and workplaces. As part of separate pilot programs, SDG&E is also installing charging equipment for electric delivery vehicles and shuttles, ground support equipment at the San Diego International Airport, and trucks, forklifts and other equipment at the Port of San Diego.

SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its electricity from renewable sources; modernizing natural gas pipelines; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; supporting numerous non-profit partners; and, investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@SDGE), Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.