Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to spur cleanup at Jacobs Smelter Site in Stockton, Utah

 EPA Press Release:

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to spur cleanup at Jacobs Smelter Site in Stockton, Utah

Arsenic and lead cleanup among first $1B in investments to clear Superfund backlog

Stockton, Utah (Dec 17, 2021) -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Jacobs Smelter Superfund Site in Stockton, Utah, will receive Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to complete critical cleanup actions and protect human health and the environment.  The Tooele County, Utah, site is among 49 sites across the nation that will benefit from a $1 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to initiate cleanup and clear the backlog of previously unfunded Superfund sites and accelerate cleanup at dozens of other sites across the country.

These BIL funds will be used to remove approximately 70,000 tons of lead and arsenic contaminated surface and subsurface soils at the Waterman Smelter area of the Jacobs Smelter Site. The State of Utah will receive these funds through a cooperative agreement with EPA to conduct these cleanup activities, which are expected to be completed within a year to eighteen months, once groundwork is initiated.

“Today’s announcement ensures these funds are dedicated to a healthier environment for people who live and work in Tooele County”, said EPA Regional Administrator K.C. Becker. “I’m very excited that Congress and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could deliver to help cleanup lead and arsenic contamination at the Jacobs Smelter Superfund site.”

“I was proud to negotiate the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will better position Utah and our country to meet the infrastructure-related challenges of the 21st century,” said Senator Mitt Romney. “Because of this legislation, we will be able to deliver long-needed resources to communities like Stockton, which have been awaiting funding to address environmental and health issues as a result of contaminated land.”

“We’re fortunate to be one of 49 Superfund Sites across the country receiving Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding,” said Utah Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director Kim Shelley. “The funding will help us better protect the health and environment of the Stockton community while bringing the Jacobs Smelter Superfund Site closer to completion. This funding fills an important cleanup need and at a critical time as we were previously unable to secure funding through a highly competitive priority process.”

The $1 billion investment is the first wave of funding from the $3.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help clean up polluted Superfund sites in communities. The backlog of previously unfunded sites that will now be receiving funding are in 24 states and territories and all 10 EPA regions, including some communities who have been waiting for cleanup for more than four years.

EPA is committed to carrying out this work in line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative by advancing environmental justice and incorporating equity considerations into all aspects of the Superfund cleanup process. This will help ensure that historic and ongoing impacts of contamination on overburdened communities are fully considered and addressed.

These Superfund cleanup projects will make a visible and lasting difference in communities. In one Florida community, residents have been advocating for removal of creosote-contaminated soil in their neighborhood for years. At a New York site, lead contaminated soil will be removed from people’s backyards. At a site in New Mexico, EPA will address the source area of a contaminated groundwater plume migrating towards a community.

The funds will supercharge the Superfund program to address the toll contaminated sites have on communities. EPA is finalizing cleanup plans and preparing funding mechanisms to get construction work started as soon as possible. More information about funding for backlogged sites and accelerated cleanup sites will be available in the coming weeks.

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstates the chemical excise taxes and invests an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities and neighborhoods.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21^st century. 

For more information and to see a list of the 49 sites to receive funding for new cleanup projects, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-sites-new-construction-projects-receive-bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding

For more information about EPA’s Superfund program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund

Colorado, Montana and Utah projects among $14.1 million in environmental justice grants nationwide

 EPA News Release:

Colorado, Montana and Utah projects among $14.1 million in environmental justice grants nationwide

DENVER (Dec. 15, 2021) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $14.1 million in environmental justice (EJ) grant funding for 133 grants selected through the Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) and Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement (EJCPS) programs. Ninety-nine EJ Small Grant recipients have been selected to receive up to $75,000 each, and 34 EJCPS grant recipients have been selected to receive up to $200,000 each, following successful completion of the award process. The majority of these EJ grants are receiving funds appropriated through the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

“President Biden has made it clear that delivering environmental justice is a top priority for this Administration, especially in communities most gravely impacted by the pandemic and health outcome disparities from pollution,” said Administrator Michael S. Regan. "Thanks to the President and Congress, today’s environmental justice grants funded in large part by the American Rescue Plan will provide critical support to our most overburdened and vulnerable communities.”

“These projects will advance a wide variety of projects across our states and tribes, including efforts that will improve climate resilience, healthy indoor environments, sustainable energy use, and water and air quality, in places that need them most,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “I look forward to seeing our grant recipients make progress on the opportunities they’ve identified to enhance the health of their communities.”

EPA has selected the following organizations in Colorado, Montana and Utah to receive EJSG and EJCPS funding:

EJSG

• Groundwork Denver (Denver, CO)
• Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (Towaoc, CO)
• Rocky Mountain Sustainable L.A. (Fort Collins, CO)
• DeSmog Denver (Denver, CO)
• High Country C.C. (Summit County, CO)
• Indigenous Vision – Blackfeet Nation (Missoula, MT)
• Climate Smart Missoula (Missoula, MT)
• Utah Clean Cities (Salt Lake Valley, UT)

EJCPS

• Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Flathead, MT)
• Utah Clean Energy (Salt Lake City, UT)
• Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (Salt Lake County, UT)

The 2021 EJ Small Grants selections will benefit communities in 37 states, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico. These 99 projects, many funded through ARP, cover a wide array of environmental justice issues, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, air monitoring, indoor/outdoor air quality, food access, community planning, water treatment training, community agriculture, green jobs and infrastructure, emergency preparedness and planning, toxic exposures, water quality and healthy homes projects.

Also, in support of President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, EPA has for the first time created a designation exclusively for small nonprofit organizations, defined as having 10 or fewer full-time employees. This effort reflects the President’s Justice40 initiative defined in EO 14008 and ensures that grant resources reach organizations of lower capacity that historically struggle to receive federal funding. Eighty-three of the organizations receiving an EJ Small Grant this year are small nonprofit organizations.

In addition, seven EJ Small Grants will support EPA’s Ports Initiative by addressing air quality issues at coastal ports, inland ports and rail yards. These projects help prepare community stakeholders to effectively engage with operators and other stakeholders of nearby port or rail facilities to influence decision-making that may impact diesel engine emissions and related air quality.

To see the full listing of all 99 organizations receiving an EJSG and to learn more about EJSG, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-small-grants-program

The 2021 EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving selections will benefit communities in 24 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These 34 projects address a breadth of environmental justice issues, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, air monitoring, indoor/outdoor air quality, community education, EJ tool development, green jobs and infrastructure, food access, emergency preparedness and planning, toxic exposures, land reuse, water quality, and support of healthy homes. 

To see the full listing of all the selected 34 EJCPS projects and to learn more about EJCPS, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-justice/environmental-justice-collaborative-problem-solving-cooperative-agreement-0.

Background on the American Rescue Plan Appropriation to EPA

Earlier this year, EPA announced spending plans for the $100 million in ARP funding appropriated by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and health outcome disparities, with $50 million being designated to improve ambient air quality monitoring, and $50 million specifically designated for environmental justice to address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities through a range of local initiatives.

Of this $50 million ARP appropriation for EJ, $4.1 million went to support 21 EJ projects under the State/Tribal/Local EJ Cooperative Agreement (SEJCA) awards program. The additional EJSG and EJCPS selections announced today will account for approximately $9.55 million of ARP funds with additional funding provided through regular annual appropriations to EPA. Upcoming ARP-funded EJ grant activities will be announced after the EJSG and EJCPS awards are finalized.

To learn more about EJ at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 11, 2021. To learn more about ARP funding at EPA, visit: https://www.epa.gov/arp.

For up-to-date information about Environmental Justice funding opportunities, events and webinars, subscribe to EPA's Environmental Justice listserv by sending a blank email to: join-epa-ej@lists.epa.gov. Follow us on Twitter: @EPAEnvJustice.

 EPA Press Release:

Issued: Nov 30, 2021 (12:54pm EST)

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Releases Peer Review Report Commending EPA’s “IRIS Handbook”

WASHINGTON (November 30, 2021) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) external peer review report of the Office of Research and Development (ORD) Staff Handbook for Developing Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessments, or the IRIS Handbook. The IRIS Handbook provides standard operating procedures for staffers that are developing IRIS assessments. The Handbook includes systematic review approaches that promote consistency and ensure that contributors to IRIS assessments understand how the assessment components are developed.

“EPA appreciates the NASEM’s comprehensive and robust review of the IRIS Handbook,” said Wayne Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “NASEM’s acknowledgement of the significant progress made by the IRIS Program to advance the science of systematic review marks an important milestone for the Agency, and EPA will continue to strengthen its scientific assessments following recommendations provided in the report.”

EPA's IRIS Program develops assessments that identify human health hazards associated with exposure to chemicals found in the environment, referred to as hazard identification, and toxicity values for human health effects resulting from that exposure.  EPA’s IRIS assessments are used by EPA offices, state and local health agencies, other federal agencies, and international health organizations to support decision-making. The Handbook does not supersede existing EPA guidance and does not serve as guidance for other EPA programs.

EPA contracted with the NASEM to conduct an external peer review of the IRIS Handbook. The report released today commends EPA’s IRIS Program on its impressive progress in developing and integrating systematic review methods. The report acknowledges that “the IRIS process for developing assessments can serve as a model for other parts of EPA that are implementing systematic review methods.” In addition, the NASEM committee praised the IRIS Program’s systematic review approaches by stating that the program “is clearly helping to advance the science of systematic review as applied to hazard identification.” Key recommendations provided by the peer review panel were generally focused on improving clarity in the IRIS Handbook.

The IRIS Program will incorporate feedback from the report and continue to advance the science of conducting robust and rigorous systematic reviews for human health assessments.

To view the NASEM report, visit: https://www.nap.edu/catalog/26289/review-of-us-epas-ord-staff-handbook-for-developing-iris-assessments

For more information on EPA’s IRIS program: https://www.epa.gov/iris

 Issued: Nov 23, 2021 (3:39pm EST)

EPA awards Portland Area Indian Health Board $445,000 to test for lead in drinking water at schools and childcare centers

 

Seattle (November 23, 2021) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board $445,000 from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to identify sources of lead in drinking water in tribally operated schools and childcare facilities.

 

Under EPA’s Voluntary Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care grant program, the agency is providing approximately $4.3 million to participating tribes and tribal consortia nationwide. The funding supports the creation or expansion of programs to test for lead in drinking water at schools and child-care programs in tribal communities and states.

 

“Schools should be safe places for students to learn and grow,” said Michelle Pirzadeh, EPA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator. “We know there is no safe level of lead for children, and with this funding, tribes will be able to help protect their children by making their schools and childcare centers healthier and safer.”

              

“The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board is pleased to be receiving funds through the EPA WIIN Act Grant Program to enhance the environmental health services we are able to provide to our member tribes,” said Celeste Davis, Environmental Public Health Program Director, for NPAIHB. 

 

“Children’s environmental health is one of the NPAIHB Environmental Public Health Program’s priority areas and we look forward to collaborating with our tribes to deliver this program,” added Holly Thompson Duffy, Environmental Health Science Manager, for NPAIHB. 

 

The NPAIHB is a non-profit tribal advisory organization serving the forty-three federally recognized tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. WIIN Act funds will support drinking water lead testing in Tribally operated schools and childcare centers across the three states as part of the Board’s comprehensive outreach and community engagement effort to reduce childhood lead exposure. These facilities also include the Native American Indian Head Start and Early Head Start Centers, which serve thousands of children. Participating schools and childcare facilities will use EPA’s 3Ts (Training, Testing, and Taking Action) for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools to implement lead in drinking water testing programs to include identifying sources of lead such as fountains. 

 

Background

 

Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. In 2018, EPA and its federal partners launched the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (pdf) to reduce lead exposures from multiple sources including drinking water, paint, outdoor air, and soil and dust contamination. 

 

As part of its efforts to reduce lead in drinking water, EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has funded over $24 billion in projects to modernize aging water infrastructure. The agency has also provided more than $1 billion in 2021 in new federal grant funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) which can be used for loans that help drinking water systems improve distribution systems by removing lead service lines. 

 

Learn more about this grant and EPA’s other drinking water grant programs at

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-grants.

 

For more information about lead and to find resources to help prevent lead exposure, visit:

https://www.epa.gov/lead. 

 

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 Issued: Nov 23, 2021 (11:54am EST)

EPA awards Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium $184,000 to test for lead in drinking water at schools and childcare centers

Contact: Suzanne Skadowski, EPA Region 10, 206-553-2160, skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov

 

Seattle (November 23, 2021) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium $184,000 from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to identify sources of lead in drinking water in tribally operated schools and childcare facilities. 

 

Under EPA’s Voluntary Lead Testing in Schools and Child Care grant program, the Agency is providing approximately $4.3 million to participating tribes and tribal consortia nationwide. The funding supports the creation or expansion of programs to test for lead in drinking water at schools and child-care programs in tribal communities and states.

 

“Schools should be safe places for students to learn and grow,” said Michelle Pirzadeh, EPA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator. “We know there is no safe level of lead for children, and with this funding, tribes will be able to help protect their children by making their schools and childcare centers healthier and safer.”

 

“The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium appreciates the opportunity presented by EPA to work with schools and childcare facilities in rural Alaskan communities to identify, support and train on lead exposure in drinking water,” said Francine Moreno, Manager of Utility Operations for ANTHC. “Lead identification and education is the first step to reducing negative health impacts to our rural Alaska families and future generations.”

 

ANTHC’s approach in assisting rural schools and childcare facilities to combat lead exposure will be multifaceted. To start, they plan to test drinking water in rural school districts and childcare facilities, where most Native Alaskan student populations live. ANTHC will provide education about lead exposure to the participating rural school districts and childcare facilities. Participating schools and childcare facilities will use EPA’s 3Ts (Training, Testing, Taking Action) for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools to implement lead in drinking water testing programs to include identifying sources of lead such as fountains. 

 

Background

 

Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. In 2018, EPA and its federal partners launched the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (pdf) to reduce lead exposures from multiple sources including drinking water, paint, outdoor air, and soil and dust contamination. 

 

As part of its efforts to reduce lead in drinking water, EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has funded over $24 billion in projects to modernize aging water infrastructure. The agency has also provided more than $1 billion in 2021 in new federal grant funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) which can be used for loans that help drinking water systems improve distribution systems by removing lead service lines. 

 

Learn more about this grant and EPA’s other drinking water grant programs at

https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-grants.

 

For more information about lead and to find resources to help prevent lead exposure, visit: https://www.epa.gov/lead. 

 

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 From EPA Press Office:

Issued: Nov 16, 2021 (2:29pm EST)

EPA Advances Science to Protect the Public from PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking the agency’s Science Advisory Board to review draft scientific documents regarding the health effects of certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). EPA is committed to science-based approaches to protect public health from exposure to Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), including by quickly updating drinking water health advisories with new peer-reviewed approaches and expeditiously developing National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for these contaminants.

“Under our new PFAS Strategic Roadmap, EPA is moving aggressively on clear, robust, and science-based actions to protect communities suffering from legacy PFOA and PFOS contamination,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This action will ensure a rigorous review from experienced scientists to strengthen our understanding of this preliminary information as the agency works toward developing revised health advisories for PFOA and PFOS, and soon establishing regulations that protect communities from these contaminants.”

EPA has transmitted to the Science Advisory Board four draft documents with recent scientific data and new analyses that indicate that negative health effects may occur at much lower levels of exposure to PFOA and PFOS than previously understood and that PFOA is a likely carcinogen. The draft documents present EPA’s initial analysis and findings with respect to this new information. 

Following peer review, this information will be used to inform health advisories and the development of Maximum Contaminant Level Goals and a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFOA and PFOS. EPA is now seeking independent scientific review of these documents. EPA is making these draft documents available to the public to ensure a transparent and robust evaluation of the available information. 

EPA will not wait to take action to protect the public from PFAS exposure. The agency will be actively engaging with its partners regarding PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, including supporting their monitoring and remediation efforts. Importantly, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden on November 15, 2021, invests $10 billion to help communities test for and clean up PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, and can be used to support projects in disadvantaged communities.

EPA will move as quickly as possible to issue updated health advisories for PFOA and PFOS that reflect this new science and input from the SAB. Concurrently, EPA will continue to develop a proposed PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for publication in Fall 2022. 
For more information, visit www.epa.gov/pfas. 

 From EPA Press Release:

Issued: Nov 8, 2021 (4:50pm EST)

EPA Announces Holistic Approach to Address Water Pollution from the Tijuana River Watershed

WASHINGTON – Today, at a virtual event, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced the decision to move forward with environmental review of a suite of water infrastructure projects that, pending final selection, would address transborder water pollution. This action will lead to essential public health protections for San Diego County communities.

“In order to protect public health and vital ecosystems in this vibrant area, we need a bold solution to the transboundary water pollution challenge,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Today, we’re announcing our intent to pursue a holistic water infrastructure strategy to address multiple facets of this challenge and make real progress for the future of the San Diego region.”

“The projects considered in the EPA plan for the sanitation of the Tijuana River basin will significantly improve the quality of water in this river and on the beaches of both countries. CONAGUA, in accordance with the budget allocated to it, will provide its support for the completion of sanitation projects on the Mexican side that contribute to the fulfillment of that objective.” said Dr. Humberto Marengo Mogollón, head of the General Technical Subdirectorate in CONAGUA.

EPA is initiating environmental review of the following projects that have the highest potential to stem transborder pollution and improve water quality:

• Expanding the existing South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (ITP) owned and operated by the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC);
• Diverting and treating Tijuana River water at a new facility adjacent to the existing ITP;
• Conveying canyon flows to the expanded ITP;
• Repairing portions of the collection system in Mexico to prevent sewage leaks;
• Beneficially reusing treated wastewater instead of discharging it into the Tijuana River;
• Installing a river trash boom; and
• Constructing a new San Antonio de los Buenos Treatment Plant in Tijuana.
• As EPA completes its assessment of infrastructure options, a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review will move forward to reduce potential negative environmental impacts from the projects that make up the comprehensive solution. This legally mandated review is needed before design and construction can begin.

“We thank the public and federal, state, and local stakeholders who have provided valuable input during the project evaluation process, particularly through the seven meetings of the Eligible Public Entities Coordinating Group and six meetings with the public since June 2020,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Acting Regional Administrator Deborah Jordan.

“For far too long, toxic waste and raw sewage has flowed across the border into Southern California, polluting our air and water and depriving communities of outdoor recreation and economic opportunities” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla. “I’m glad we were able to work with the EPA to develop a comprehensive plan to improve sewage treatment in both San Diego County and Tijuana, and build upon the goals of the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act, which I joined Senator Feinstein in introducing earlier this year. It is essential that we take action to protect the health and safety of our coastal communities.”

“Communities along California’s southern border have been plagued with toxic pollution from Mexico for too long, in part because no single agency was responsible for the issue,” said U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein. “I’m pleased to see EPA Administrator Regan take leadership on this issue and invest in these vital projects to clean up border pollution. These projects will help significantly improve the health and quality of life for our border communities.”

“This decades-long problem is an environmental and public health catastrophe that endangers lives on both sides of our border, from the waters of Baja California to my district in Coronado,” said U.S. Representative Scott Peters. “I thank Administrator Regan for accepting my invitation to see this crisis in person earlier this year, and the EPA for proposing bold solutions. I remain committed to solving this crisis.”

“Pollution along the Tijuana River Valley has plagued our region for years, harming our environment, public health, and our local economy. It’s long past time we stop the flow of this pollution from Mexico for good,” said U.S. Representative Mike Levin. “I commend the EPA for advancing an aggressive and comprehensive solution to this crisis. Now it’s paramount that we move forward as quickly as possible to break ground on this project. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the EPA has the resources it needs to finish the job.”

“Clean water is fundamental to the health of our community and that is true on both sides of the border. It is encouraging to see the EPA present a comprehensive plan to address the decades-long issue of pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to raise this issue with federal officials,” said U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs. “Now it is important for the agency to move forward with projects that will protect our communities and for us in Congress to continue to perform oversight and provide any necessary legislative actions.” 

“The San Diego region has been plagued by cross-border pollution for decades, posing a significant risk to human health and resulting in beach closures and degraded wildlife habitats,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “I appreciate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s work throughout the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement process, which has further demonstrated the need for long-term, comprehensive investments. That’s why this announcement today is welcome news that will move us even closer to solving this public health and environmental crisis.”

“I am deeply grateful to the EPA for supporting a comprehensive plan that will help to resolve the decades long Tijuana River sewage crisis,” said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina. “This far-reaching plan will involve significant sewage infrastructure fixes on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border so that residents of Imperial Beach, Coronado, South San Diego County and Tijuana have access to clean beaches year-round.”

Congress appropriated $300 million for infrastructure to address transborder pollution in 2020 through the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) implementing legislation. While the overall cost of the comprehensive solution exceeds the appropriated amount, EPA will implement a phased approach in the design and construction of the various infrastructure projects. EPA will continue to engage the public and stakeholders during the NEPA review process and will work with our counterparts in Mexico to ensure binational support for the comprehensive solution.

 

For more information on the USMCA process, visit: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/usmca-tijuana-river-watershed.

 

Background

The Tijuana River carries untreated wastewater, trash, and sediment from Mexico across the border into the United States. In addition, polluted discharge into the Pacific Ocean from Tijuana’s wastewater treatment plant is carried northward during the summer, impacting beaches in southern San Diego County. The comprehensive infrastructure solution being announced today is expected to substantially reduce impacts to the U.S.

In 2020, the USMCA was finalized to update and replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. The USMCA implementing legislation Section 821 directs EPA to coordinate with Eligible Public Entities to identify infrastructure solutions that address polluted transboundary flows in the Tijuana River Watershed and the legislation included an appropriation of $300 million for infrastructure projects in connection with wastewater facilities in the area of the United States–Mexico Border. These Entities include senior-level members from several cities in San Diego County (Imperial Beach, San Diego, Coronado, and Chula Vista), the County of San Diego, the State of California, and federal agencies.