HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-06-15; Request for Federal State of Emergency - Tijuana River Transboundary Pollution Crisis (Districts - All); Haber, JasonTo the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL
Date Id l'ol2~CA / CC ✓
CM _~~M(3).;L"
Council Memorandum
June 15, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor Bia
From:
Via:
Jason Haber, lntergovern.&'.r\orvr
Scott Chadwick, City M n
Affairs Director
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2023058
Re: Request for Federal St
(Districts -All}
rgency -Tijuana River Transboundary Pollution Crisis
At the request of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, the mayors of the 18 cities in San Diego
County, including City of Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn, signed the attached letter requesting a
Federal Emergency Declaration for the Tijuana River Valley and the shoreline of Imperial Beach.
As cited in the attached letter, "since October 2018, the U.S. International Boundary and Water
Commission has documented the entry of over 100 billion gallons of toxic effluent into the
United States through the Tijuana River, with an additional 35 billion gallons crossing the
international border since December 28, alone."
The community of Imperial Beach has experienced over 500 consecutive days of beach closures
due to the ongoing influx of sewage, industrial discharges, and trash from the Tijuana River. With
recent research attributing 34,000 illnesses in 2017 to water pollution along the Imperial Beach
coastline, the pollution in the Tijuana River is a public health emergency that requires a Federal
Emergency Declaration to coordinate, resource, and prioritize a multi-agency response.
While recent efforts have resulted in an initial allocation of $300 million through the United
States, Mexico, and Canada Agreement to identify and implement a comprehensive approach to
solve this problem, more funding and federal agency coordination is needed.
City support is consistent with the city's legislative platform, which states that the city will
"support legislation that allocates state and federal funds for the construction of facilities to
capture and treat the flow of raw sewage entering San Diego from Tijuana."
Attachment: A. Request for Federal State of Emergency for the Tijuana River Transboundary
Pollution Crisis
B. City of Imperial Beach Press Release
cc: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
City Manager's Office
Intergovernmental Affairs
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2820 t
Attachment A
/':,,��LAMESA
June 13, 2023
The White House
Council of Environmental Quality
722 Jackson Place NW
Washington, DC 20503
Dear Honorable Brenda Mallory:
As Mayors representing cities within San Diego County, we are writing to strongly urge the Biden-Harris
Administration to fulfill their commitments to support Environmental Justice communities and take
decisive action to address the severe pollution crisis in the Tijuana River. The Imperial Beach shoreline
located in South San Diego County is tragically recognized as the most polluted stretch of sandy beach in
the entire country. With over 500 consecutive days of beach closures due to the ongoing influx of sewage,
industrial discharges, and trash from the Tijuana River, the community of Imperial Beach is bearing the
brunt of this environmental disaster. Pollution in the Tijuana River remains the most urgent environmental
justice issue in San Diego County.
We are formally requesting a
The continuous influx of transboundary pollution is wreaking havoc on the
local community, economy, and environment along the coastline of South San Diego County. Since
October 2018, the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission has documented the entry of over
100 billion gallons of toxic effluent into the United States through the Tijuana River, with an additional 35
billion gallons crossing the international border since December 28, alone.1
The extent of this pollution has been studied for decades including recent research from the Scripps
Institute of Oceanography with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that attributes
34,000 illnesses in calendar year 2017 to water quality pollution along the Imperial Beach coastline2• The
high levels of coastal water pollution are even impacting local air quality3. Researchers are monitoring the
airborne transmission pathways for coastal water pollution and documenting concerning levels of
industrial chemicals and pathogens from aerosol sea spray generated from wind and ocean waves4._These
potential public health concerns are why the Cities of Imperial Beach and San Diego maintain an ongoing
State of Local Emergency related to the impacts of cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River. In addition,
County of San Diego has declared a Public Health Crisis for the Tijuana River Valley.
2
3
4
The coastal communities of South San Diego County face an immense challenge from the ongoing
pollution crisis in the Tijuana River that is beyond local and state control. It is a public health emergency
that requires a Federal Emergency Declaration to coordinate and prioritize a multi-agency response to
this ongoing disaster. The continuous flow of untreated sewage and other pollutants into our waters is
unacceptable and must be addressed immediately.
Over the past decade, local agencies have forged a strong partnership with federal agencies to develop
comprehensive solutions for the ongoing pollution crisis in the Tijuana River. Our collaborative efforts
have resulted in an initial allocation of $300 million through the United States, Mexico, and Canada
Agreement {USMCA) to identify and implement a comprehensive approach to solve the longstanding
pollution problem in the Tijuana River. The EPA has already prepared a Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement and identified the preferred list of projects that are necessary to ultimately control the
discharge of wastewater, trash, and sedimentation into the Tijuana River Valley. Unfortunately, more
funding and federal agency coordination is needed to move these projects forward.
An entire generation of children is growing up in South San Diego County, having only experienced
polluted beaches. While we appreciate the EPA's identification of a comprehensive solution, the reality
remains that these projects are still years away from implementation, with no sense of urgency from
federal officials to address funding shortfalls. We implore a Federal Emergency Declaration to expedite
funding and implementation of projects across multiple federal agencies. The pollution disaster in the
Tijuana River warrants the same level of federal agency coordination and response as other national crises
such as the Ohio toxic train derailment, Flint water crisis, the 2021 Orange County oil spill, devastating
hurricanes, and destructive atmospheric river storms. These examples highlight the urgent need for
immediate action and the importance of a coordinated response to protect the health and well-being of
our communities.
Just as federal agencies and resources are mobilized to respond to natural disasters like hurricanes, a
Federal Emergency Declaration for the Tijuana River would enable the coordination and allocation of
critical resources to address this ongoing environmental catastrophe. The same level of urgency, funding,
and comprehensive action that is applied to other national emergencies, whether natural or man-made,
must be extended to the pollution crisis in the Tijuana River. Our communities cannot afford to wait for
years for these projects to be implemented while the health and well-being of our residents and the
environment continue to suffer.
We urgently appeal to the Biden-Harris Administration to fulfill their commitments to support
Environmental Justice communities and take decisive action to address the ongoing pollution crisis in the
Tijuana River.
Respectfully,
!i!l?l-I , ~L~ li(c<l/,<.,~
.___)
Mayor of Carlsbad Mayor of Chula Vista
12:½.-:::::
Mayor of Coronado
Mayor of Del Mar
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Mayor of El Cajon
-I.vi(~
Mayor of Encinitas
Dane M. White '~ ~✓ ·mw1a1~ Dane M. White {Jun 7, 2023 14:54 PDT)
Mayor of Escondido Mayor of Imperial Beach Mayor of La Mesa
~~ Ron Morrison ~ ~-~ Ron Morrison {Jun 8, 2023 09:52 PDT)
Mayor of Lemon Grove Mayor of National City Mayor of Oceanside
~ f]---H~
-Mayor of Poway Mayor of San Diego Mayor of San Marcos
/L_,,,_171_..c.-Lesa Heebner
Lesa Heebner {Jun 7, 2023 15:55 PDT!
Mayor of Santee Mayor of Solana Beach Mayor of Vista
City of Imperial Beach
Press Re lease
For press inquiries please contact:
Brenda Arguelles (619) 423-8303
Barguelles@imperialbeachca.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Diego County Mayors Call for State of Emergency Due to Tij uana
River Sewage Crisis
Over 150 billion Gallons of Se wage Spill Foul Coast
Estimated 34,000 People Sickened by Toxic Sewage
San Diego, Califo rnia. On June 13, 2023, the mayors of the 18 cities located in San Diego
County sent a letter to the Biden Administration calling for a declaration of a state of emergency
due to the 150 billion gallons of sewage entering the coast in south San Diego County. City
leaders liken the sewage spill to any other natural and manmade disasters which require swift
mobilization of critical resources and interagency coordination to address this environmental
and public health crisis.
"Our beaches have been closed 550 consecutive days. Recent studies show alarmingly high
levels of coastal pollution impacting air quality. We have grave concerns that not only pathogens
are in the air, but also industrial chemicals and other harmful pollutants. We need to
immediately stop the flow of toxic sewage into our communities, and we need federal assistance
to do that." said Mayor of Imperial Beach Paloma Aguirre. "We've already had documented
cases of Navy Seals with MRSA infections, and residents with meningitis infections, GI and
respiratory infections, and chemical burns suffered by Border Patrol Agents operating in areas
adjacent to the Tijuana River. If the Biden Administration doesn't act soon, it may cost us lives."
An estimated six million people visit t.he south San Diego coast annually. The stretch of coast
impacted includes the cities of Imperial Beach and Coronado, and Border Field and Silver
Strand State Beaches. Sewage impacting water quality has severe economic impacts due to the
tourist-dependent nature of the area. Impacts to the real estate market, hospitality industry,
recreational programs, and local businesses are unknown, but estimates are in the tens to
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Last week, California Coastal Commission Chair Donne Brownsey sent a letter on behalf of the
commission supporting the efforts by the City of Imperial Beach and its regional partners calling
for additional federal assistance to mitigate the contaminated transboundary flows. "If ever there
was a situation that was an emergency, it seems to me this would be it," said Chairwoman
Brownsey. "Just the thought of 100 billion gallons of waste and pollution flowing through those
communities and closing those beaches, I think is the very definition of an emergency."
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The City of Imperial Beach's mission is to maintain and enhance Imperial Beach as "Classic Southern California;" a
beach-oriented community with a safe, small town, family atmosphere, rich in natural and cultural resources.