San Diego County Urges Federal Action on Tijuana Sewage Crisis

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The Tijuana River facing pollution issues that affect surrounding communities in San Diego.

News Summary

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution urging the federal government to address the sewage crisis in the Tijuana River. Supervisor Jim Desmond initiated the resolution, which passed 3-1, but he later voted against it, citing insufficient measures. The resolution suggests holding Mexico accountable for the pollution affecting southern San Diego County and calls for emergency declarations. Concerns were raised about anti-Mexico sentiments and economic sanctions, emphasizing a need for cooperative solutions.

San Diego, California – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution urging the federal government to advocate for Mexico to address the ongoing sewage crisis affecting the Tijuana River. The resolution was initiated by Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond and was passed with a majority vote of 3-1. However, Supervisor Desmond ultimately voted against the resolution, arguing that it did not implement sufficient measures to tackle the issue.

Democratic Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe raised concerns about the language and scope of the original resolution, stating that it risked promoting anti-Mexico sentiments. The resolution emphasizes that the ongoing sewage flow is primarily under the jurisdiction of the federal governments of both the United States and Mexico, which local municipalities cannot control.

The resolution presents several recommendations to Congress, calling for legislation that would hold Mexico accountable for the sewage pollution affecting communities in southern San Diego County. These suggested measures include granting federal authority to temporarily restrict or alter the Tijuana River’s flow and limiting potable water exports to Tijuana during crises related to sewage.

Furthermore, the resolution urges Congress and the U.S. President to declare the sewage crisis a state of emergency. Recently, the Trump administration took measures to withhold water from the Colorado River to Tijuana due to delays from Mexico in delivering water to the Rio Grande. In response, Mexican authorities are exploring alternative sources of water, including a desalination plant in Playas de Rosarito, which is anticipated to produce 50 million gallons of potable water daily.

Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe voted to remove portions of the resolution that encouraged economic sanctions against Mexico for violating treaties related to sewage spills. This modification underscored their stance to avoid creating an adversarial narrative towards Mexico while still addressing the urgent crisis.

The resolution parallels a previous action from the Imperial Beach City Council, which was also supported by Republican officials. However, the Democratic Mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, has opposed the Republican-led resolutions, suggesting the need for alternative strategies. Aguirre advocates for proactive measures, including the establishment of a “sewage crisis chief” position, tackling identified pollution hotspots, conducting public health research, and enhancing air quality standards in local schools.

The sewage crisis has significantly escalated in recent years, resulting in frequent beach closures and growing public health risks for residents in the area. Reports indicate that raw sewage contaminating the Tijuana River has negatively affected air quality and public health across San Diego County and its neighboring communities. The local population has raised alarms about the continuous threats to their well-being caused by the untreated effluent flowing from Mexico.

As the situation persists, the resolution adopted by the San Diego County Supervisors marks a critical step in the ongoing dialogue concerning cross-border pollution issues and the necessary actions needed to safeguard the health of San Diego County residents.