SAN FRANCISCO This week Jared Blumenfeld, U.S
SAN FRANCISCO – This week Jared Blumenfeld, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, is touring areas along the U.S.-Mexico border, meeting with Tribal leaders and kicking off the public comment period for a new, 8-year U.S.-Mexico Border Environment agreement, known as Border 2020.
Blumenfeld’s tour will take him to the
recently upgraded South San Diego International Wastewater
Treatment Plant as well as the Tijuana River Estuary and the Border
Field State Park. The estuary is designated as a Wetland of
International Importance due to its critical wildlife habitat, one
of the last of Southern California’s river mouths not
bisected by a road or rail trestle.
On each stop Blumenfeld will discuss efforts to
improve water quality and habitat in a region where sediment
build-up, wastewater and trash still pose major threats to wildlife
and human health. While in the area, he will also meet with
officials from Mexico’s Secretary for the Environment and
Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), as well as Campo Kumeyaay Nation
Chairwoman Monique La Chappa to discuss the Border 2020
program.
“While we have made great progress in
improving the environment along the border, there are still dire,
basic needs not being met,” said Jared Blumenfeld.
“Clean, safe drinking water, adequate wastewater treatment
and sufficient waste management are serious public health threats
that need to be addressed by both nations.”
Working with Mexico, the ten Border States and
26 border tribes, the EPA is requesting comments from interested
parties and border stakeholders on the draft framework. A public
meeting will be held October 5 in Calexico’s City Council
Chambers from 6-8pm. In addition, a list of upcoming public
meetings can be found at: www.epa.gov/border2012.
The U.S-Mexico border is home to over 14 million
people and is one of the busiest cross-border trade regions in the
world. Although both countries benefit economically from the
commercial exchange, the probability of pollutant exposure to those
who live along the border continues to increase.
The goals of Border 2020 are “to protect
the environment and public health in the U.S.-Mexico border region,
consistent with the principles of sustainable development”.
Border 2020 is the latest multi-year planning effort under the La
Paz Agreement, a bi-national environmental pact signed in 1983 by U.
S. President Ronald Reagan and Mexico president Miguel De la
Madrid. The agreement succeeds the current bi-national program
Border 2012.
Media interested in attending
Wednesday’s tour should contact Margot Perez-Sullivan in
advance with name, contact info (include email and phone) and media
affiliation to
[email protected]ASAP to receive additional details, schedule an
interview and/or participate in a portion of the
tour.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/index.html