Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act. This bill aims to reduce pollution along the U.S.-Mexico border and improve water quality of the Tijuana River and New River. The bill would designate the Environmental Protection Agency as the lead Agency to coordinate all Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies to build and maintain needed infrastructure projects to decrease pollution along the border. The Tijuana River watershed is in the midst of an environmental crisis, as stormwater flows from the upper watershed, originating in Tijuana, Mexico, and carries pollutants such as bacteria, trash, and sediment that severely affect water quality. In just the last 5 years, more than 100 billion gallons of toxic sewage, trash, and unmanaged stormwater has flowed across the United States-Mexico border into the Tijuana River Valley and neighboring communities, forcing long-lasting beach closures and creating significant negative impacts on water quality, public health, and the environment. This transboundary pollution crisis has disproportionately harmed underserved communities along San Diego's southern border for decades. U.S. military personnel, Border Patrol agents, and the local environment and economy have also suffered harmful impacts from waterborne and airborne transboundary sewage flows.…”