Executive   Summary
                                           U.S.-
                                          Mexico
                                        Border XXI
                                         Program:





                                         Progress
wrhitoey
                                          Report
                                      EPA160/S/00/001

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    THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER XXI PROGRAM: PROGRESS REPORT 1996-2000
                           The Border XXI Progress Report 1996-2000 is published by
                                  United States Environmental Protection Agency
                      Mexican Secretariat of Environment, Natural Resources, and Fisheries
                                    Border XXI Program National Coordinators,
                         WILLIAM A. NITZE                                     JOSE LUIS SAMANIEGO LEYVA
     ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR, OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES             INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COORDINATOR
                      U.S. EPA HEADQUARTERS                                          SEMARNAP
                   U.S. Project Coordinator
                        SARAH N. SOWELL
        ASSISTANT COORDINATOR, U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM
                      U.S. EPA HEADQUARTERS
                                                                            Mexican Project Coordinators
                                                                          ABRAHAM NEHMAD (THROUGH MARCH 2000)
                                                                                  BORDER AFFAIRS OFFICE
                                                                                        SEMARNAP
                                                                                           and
                                                                              EIKE DUFFING (FROM APRIL 2000)
                                                                                  BORDER AFFAIRS OFFICE
                                                      - •-----•••                            SEMARNAP

                                                            Editor
                                                        SARAH N. SOWELL


   Very special thanks to Dave Fege, Assistant Director of the U.S. EPA San Diego Border Liaison Office, and Gina Weber, U.S.-Mexico Border Program
Coordinator for U.S. EPA Region 6, for facilitating the development and organization of this report. Additional thanks go to Santiago Enriquez, SEMARNAP;
            Lorena Lopez-Powers, U.S. EPA San Diego Border Liaison Office; and Allyson Siwik, U.S. EPA El Paso Border Liaison Office.
   For their support and management in the development of the indicators section of this report, special acknowledgement goes to Rolando Rios
                          Aguilar, INE/SEMARNAP, and Tomas Torres, U.S. EPA San Diego Border Liaison Office.

   Tho photographs that appear on the cover and throughout this report were taken by Rebekah Hoffacker, U.S. EPA San Diego Border Liaison Office.


        For more Information about this publication and the U.S.-Mexico Border XXI Program, please see the contact information provided in this document.
         KEY   FEDERAL  AGENCIES  IMPLEMENTING   BORDER   XXI
                  Environmental Protection
              U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mexican Secretariat for Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries
            Mexican Secretariat for Social Development

                     Natural Resources
                  U.S. Department of the Interior
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture
               Mexican Secretariat for Environment,
                 Natural Resources and Fisheries
                                                                                Border Water Resources
                                                                        International Boundary and Water Commission
                                                                               U.S. Department of the Interior
                                                                            U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

                                                                                 Environmental  Health
                                                                        U.S. Department of Health'and Human Services
                                                                                Mexican Secretariat of Health
                                                                            U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -
       Other U.S. federal participants include the U.S. Department of State, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,   j
          the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Departrnent of Transportation,
               ;                              and the U.S. Department of Energy.                !                :         (
               !                                                                       .1
Other Mexican federal participants include the Secretariat of Foreign Relations; the National Institute for Statistics, Geography, and Inforrrjation;
     the Secretariat of Interior (Civil Protection); the Secretariat of Communication and Transportation; and,the Secretariat; of Energy, j
                                 This report was printed on recycled and recyclable paper with vegetable-based inks.

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                           U.S.-Mexico Border XXI Program: Progress Report 1996-2000
                    THE PURPOSE
            OF THE PROGRESS REPORT
The  U.S.-Mexico  Border  XXI Program: Progress  Report
1996—2000 describes the advances toward achiev-
ing  environmental  improvements  in  the border
region as a result of Border XXI Program activi-
ties. The report also describes the challenges faced
in addressing  environmental degradation in the
transboundary context, as well  as  specific limita-
tions of the Border XXI Program.   It evaluates
progress toward achieving the Border XXI mission
and objectives  and details the achievements made
by each of the nine Border XXI workgroups since
the program's inception  in  1996.
     In addition, the report provides  quantitative
data on  indicators  used  to  evaluate the effective-
ness of border  environmental policy and to meas-
ure environmental  and  human health quality in
the border  area.   The  indicators  in  this report
update the information  published in the 1997
United States-Mexico Border Environmental Indica-
tors Report (1997 Indicators Report).
     Since the current border plan concludes at
the end of 2000, the lead agencies for  Border XXI
hope this report will serve as a tool for designing
the next phase  of binational planning.  While many achieve-
ments  have been made,  the governments of both  countries
recognize that there is room for improvement in several areas.
An important step  in ensuring further progress is to include
state, local, and  tribal governments, as well  as  the public
("public"  refers to  the residents, industry, and nongovern-
mental and private organizations that have  a stake in the
border),  in the establishment of (1) priorities for the border
region, and (2) activities to address those priorities.   This
chronicle of achievements and shortcomings of five years of
intensive  binational coordination will  help establish  a con-
text  for  dialogue among federal agencies and  other  border
stakeholders. Through the  exchange of ideas  and opinions,
the federal  governments  hope to  initiate a new  phase of
stakeholder  participation in the  development  and  imple-
mentation of the next phase of binational cooperation.
         .     .   .   THE NEED
        FOR BINATIONAL  COOPERATION
       :T,iX,~ii,"™isr..  .->*_,- J-   -'   _''„   _ •_    „.  .   „ I
The U.S.-Mexico border area is a dynamic region, with a dis-
          tinct composition that is as much differentiated by
          social,  economic, and political  contrasts as  it  is
          bound by cultural fusion and the unique interde-
          pendency of its  transborder city  pairs.   It is  also
          one of the most rapidly growing  regions in  both
          countries.  Today, the border region is  home to
          more than 10.6 million people, with about 5.8 mil-
          lion people in the United States and 4.8 million in
          Mexico.    Population along the border is project-
          ed to  increase from 5 to 12 million people during
          the period  2000 to 2020.  Many factors associat-
          ed with this growth, such as increased commercial
          activity, greater  traffic congestion, and  increased
          consumption of natural resources, have been linked
          to environmental degradation  and a  deterioration
          in the quality of life.  Given the complex structure
          of stakeholders having border interests—two sover-
          eign countries, 10 border states, several municipal-
          ities and counties, tribal nations, national and inter-
          national organizations, and the residents of the bor-
          der region—attempts  to address  these  concerns
          require a coordinated  binational response.

       - - r - ~  - THE U.S.-MEXICO
       BORDER XXI  PROGRAM:  1996-2000
        -        _•*'           _                   i
Under the Border XXI Program, the United States and Mex-
ico collaborate on projects  to protect the environment and
natural resources of the border region, as well as the health
of its residents.   The program  is an innovative, binational
effort to coordinate environment and natural resources man-
agement in the  border region.   Border XXI works to: (1)
alleviate or avoid negative  environmental pressures associat-
ed with development  and (2) foster forms of social and eco-
nomic growth that are less damaging to the environment.
     "With the principal goal of promoting sustainable devel-
opment,  the Border  XXI  Program seeks a  balance  among
social and economic factors and environmental protection in
border communities and natural areas. Three strategies were
        Peach, James and James Williams. "Population and Economic Dynamics on the U.S.-Mexican Border:  Past, Present, and Future." The U.S.-Mexican
        Border Environment: A Road Map to a Sustainable 2020. Paul Ganster, ed.  Southwest Center for Environmental Research and Policy (SCERP), Mono-
        graph Series, No. 1, 40.
                                                 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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                           U.S.-Mexico Border XXI Program:  Progress'Report 1996-2000
outlined in the 1956  U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI Program:
Framework Document (Framework Document) to accomplish
that goal:

     •  Ensure Public  Involvement

     •  Build Capacity and Decentralize Environmental
    Management

     •  Ensure Interagency Cooperation

The Border XXI Program serves  as  a coordinating mecha-
nism to bring together federal, tribal,  state, and local entities
from both  countries to work cooperatively toward achieving
those objectives. The lead agencies on Border XXI are the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Mexico's
Secretarla de Media Ambiente, Recursos  Naturales y  Pesca
(SEMAPJMAP,  or  Secretariat of Environment,  Natural
Resources,  and Fisheries).  In the United  States, the U.S.
Department of the Interior (DOI) serves  as the lead agency
for natural  resources activities coordinated  under Border XXI,
and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS)  shares the coordination lead  with EPA on environ-
mental health activities.   In Mexico,  the  Secretarla de Salud
(SSA, or Secretariat of Health) is responsible for coordinat-
ing environmental health activities, and the Secretarta de Desar-
roUo Social (SEDESOL, or Secretariat  of Social Development)
helps coordinate activities related to solid waste.
     Nine binational workgroups implement the Border XXI
Program by developing projects to address specific objectives.
Each workgroup operates under the  guidance of two chair-
persons, or "co-chairs," one representing the United States and
one representing Mexico. Six of the workgroups have a long-
standing history of binational cooperation in the areas of (1)
water, (2) air, (3) hazardous and solid waste, (4) pollution pre-
vention, (5) contingency planning and emergency response,
and (6) cooperative enforcement and compliance.  In 1996,
three additional workgroups were created under the Border
XXI Program to provide a more comprehensive  approach to
border environmental concerns. Those workgroups focus on
issues related to  (7)  environmental information resources, (8)
natural  resources, and (9) environmental health.
            THE BAStS Of U.S,-MEXICO
                BORDER RELATIONS

The level of positive cooperation that  exists between the
two countries on environmental matters reflects the impor-
tance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship on  environmental
issues. After a long history of formal coordination between
the two  countries,  particularly on water  and water infra-
structure issues,  the  United States  and  Mexico  formally
broadened  cooperation on border environmental issues by
signing the La Paz Agreement in 1983.  The La Paz Agree-
ment established a general framework for developing coop-
erative environmental efforts to reduce, eliminate, or pre-
vent sources of air, water, and land pollution.  The La Paz
Agreement  also  defined  the U.S.-Mexico  border region as
the area extending more  than 3,100  kilometers  (almost
2,000 miles), from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean,
and 100 kilometers, or  62.5 miles,  on either  side of the
U.S.-Mexico boundary.
     In February 1992, the environmental authorities of both
federal governments released the Integrated Border Environ-
mental Plan for the U.S.-Mexican Border Area. (IBEP). The
IBEP,  a two-year plan, was the first binational federal ini-
tiative created under the assumption that increased trade lib-
eralization would place additional stress on the environment
and human health along the border.
     The tri-lateral North  American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) was signed in December 1992  and entered into
force in  1994.   In November  1993,  the  presidents of the
United States and Mexico signed a bilateral agreement estab-
lishing the Border  Environment  Cooperation  Commission
(BECC)  and the  North  American Development Bank
(NADB) to help develop and finance solid waste, water sup-
ply, and  wastewater infrastructure in the U.S.-Mexico bor-
der area. The primary role of the BECC  has been to pro-
vide technical assistance to border communities and to cer-
tify environmental infrastructure projects in the border region
for consideration for financing by the NADB and other gov-
ernment and private sources.  The NADB s primary role has
been  to facilitate financing for  the implementation of proj-
ects certified by the BECC.
     The United States  and Mexico  also have a history of
cooperation on natural resources issues that includes a num-
        TTia Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the
        Environment In the Border Area was signed in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico on August 14, 1983, and entered into force on February 16, 1984.
                                                 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI Program:  Progress Report  1996-2000
ber of agreements and initiatives to protect migratory birds,
native habitats, and marine resources and to reduce degra-
dation or exploitation of forests, air, soil, and natural areas.
     In 1996, the Border XXI Program was  inititated to
build on experiences from and improve specific efforts under-
taken under the IBEP and earlier environmental agreements.
Border XXI also includes the BECC and the NADB as full
partners  in water,  wastewater, and solid waste infrastructure
activities.
             BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL
                  PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES
The border area faces many binational environmental chal-
lenges, such as limited water supply and poor water qual-
ity, sewage treatment that is inadequate or lacking, air pol-
lution, little or no treatment and disposal of hazardous and
industrial waste,  potential for chemical emergencies, inci-
dence of infectious diseases, and inadequacy  in or lack of
verification of compliance in the transboundary shipment
of hazardous  wastes.  The depletion of natural resources
presents  another environmental  challenge for the border.
The destruction of native  habitats  through population
growth and the resulting expansion of urban areas, ranch-
ing  and agricultural  activities,  mining,  recreation, and
tourism  have  seriously impacted the natural  resource base
in the border region.  These challenges continue to afreet
the environmental and economic vitality of the region.
     Increased levels of domestic and industrial water con-
sumption and the border regions largely arid climate have
made maintaining an adequate water supply one of the most
serious environmental challenges on the border.  It is pre-
dicted that  the problem will worsen, and many communi-
ties face  grave problems with  the greater demand for water
that projected population  growth would bring.   Ground-
water and  surface water contamination  are also problems,
since supplies are often threatened by agricultural runoff
and  the  discharge of raw  sewage and industrial pollution
into the  rivers and aquifers along the border.
     The availability of border environmental  infrastructure
is another prominent issue.  On both sides of the border,
growth in many areas has surpassed basic infrastructure capac-
ity.   The problem is particularly acute along the border in
Mexico, where many communities lack wastewater treatment,
transportation systems are inadequate or nonexistent, and
energy demand is high.   Further, resources for additional
infrastructure development are scarce.
     In poor, unplanned, and generally unincorporated set-
dements along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, infra-
structure deficiencies are particularly acute.  Many of those
settlements, known in the United States as colonias and in
Mexico as  asentamientos irregulares (because of their unau-
thorized use of land), have sprung up without formally sanc-
tioned local  governance  and have  traditionally been unable
to gain access to individual or community services.  In most
cases, the setdements have developed without water supplies,
wastewater treatment, or solid waste collection.  Such prac-
tices as illegally dumping or burning waste contribute to seri-
ous environmental degradation and have been associated with
health problems.
     Indigenous communities and U.S. border tribes are also
negatively  impacted by  various transborder environmental
problems, including air pollution from off-reservation activ-
ity, traffic  congestion, extraction of natural resources, and
burning or illegal dumping  of solid  and hazardous waste.
Several binational rivers  or groundwater  basins lie within,
near,  or under U.S.  Indian  reservations, and pollution in
these waters  is a concern to several tribal communities.  In
addition, tribal communities have expressed concern about
limited emergency response capabilities, lack of training and
equipment to  respond to hazardous waste transportation
spills and accidents,  and risks that may be attributable to a
lack of information about  transport of hazardous  waste
through their reservations lands.
     Some  border residents suffer from other  public health
problems, such as asthma and high blood lead levels.  Emis-
sions  from  vehicles, industrial sources, burning of trash, and
residential  heating and dust from unpaved roads  all con-
tribute to poor air quality and  threaten the health of bor-
der residents.  Moreover, the wastes generated by industrial
activity are also potentially dangerous, especially when they
are inappropriately disposed of in sewer  systems, on  the
ground, or in ravines.   Surface water contamination from
industrial pollution and agricultural chemicals is also a seri-
ous problem  in many areas.  Another concern is the danger
to border residents posed by exposure to pesticides through
pesticide residues  on food and the spraying  of pesticides on
fields that are located near homes  and schools.
                                                 EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY
                                                         3

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                          U.S.-Mexico Border XXI  Program: Progress Report 1996-2000
         PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE
     DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE BORDER:
    CHALLENGES  AND  ACCOMPLISHMENTS
As stated in the Framework Document, the goal of the Bor-
der XXI Program is to "promote sustainable development in
the border region by seeking a balance among social and eco-
nomic factors and the protection of the environment in bor-
der communities and  natural areas .  . ." (Chapter  1, Page 1
[I.I]). Although Border XXI has made notable advances, there
have been challenges in achieving the goal.  These include:
(1)  lack of recognition of the range  of elements that affect
sustainability, (2) limitations  of workgroup activities, and (3)
insufficiency of efforts to engage local-level participants.
    The first challenge was to recognize the broad range
of elements that impact sustainability. The strength of the
Border XXI Program is that it primarily focuses on address-
ing the environmental and natural resources elements of sus-
tainable development, as well as social factors as they per-
tain to environmental health.  It  also provides a point of
departure for economic and technological considerations by
promoting pollution prevention and the use  of clean tech-
nologies.  However, the scope of the current program does
not account for all the factors that contribute to sustain-
able development in the border region.
     One of the challenges of promoting the concept through
workgroup activities is that those activities address only cer-
tain elements of sustainable  development. The workgroups
have focused much of their efforts on analyzing and reme-
diating environmental, natural resource,  and public health
problems resulting from  previous unsustainable  practices.
However, sustainable development  also implies the develop-
ment of strategies that both prevent replication of existing
problems in the future and  anticipate entirely new ones.
    While the two federal governments acknowledged in the
Framework Document that attempts to address sustainable devel-
opment would require local-level participation,  the progress of
efforts to engage border communities has been slow.   It has
been only recendy that the federal governments have  begun
to join with individual communities to discuss the concept in
terms of local-level priorities and conditions and to determine
how best to work in partnership with local entities to approach
sustainability on a community-by-community basis.
    Examples of activities  to promote sustainable devel-
opment include:
    •  Border Institutes:   Held  in  Rio Rico, Arizona in
    December 1998, Border Institute I provided a forum
    for dialogue on the future of the border region in terms
    of economic, demographic, and ecological problems and
    trends related to the sustainability of the border region.
    Border Institute II, held in  April 2000 in Rio Rico,
    focused on identifying actions and policy alternatives
    for achieving  a healthy environment  in  border com-
    munities.
    •  Sustainable Development Community Workshops in
    Mexico:  SEMARNAP has  conducted a series of sus-
    tainable development workshops along the border.  The
    workshops are designed to provide local planners  and
    city officials with a forum  for building consensus on
    what sustainable development means for their commu-
    nities. The workshops involved facilitated breakout dis-
    cussions and a series of exercises related to the follow-
    ing themes: (1) Population, Housing and Land Use; (2)
    Urban Development, Infrastructure, and Equipment; (3)
    Industry,  Transportation, and Contamination;  and (4)
    Natural Resources, Water,  and Soils.   The workshops
    helped participants focus on local-level implications of
    development and reinforced  their prominent role in
    shaping the future of their communities.
    •  BECC/NADB  Sustainable Development  Criteria:
    The BECC has adopted sustainable development crite-
    ria to evaluate infrastructure projects  and has integrat-
    ed these  principles into an  extensive public outreach
    and participation program.

Future efforts will be aimed at creating additional partnerships
that facilitate the development of more comprehensive, local-
level approaches to sustainable development.  Those efforts
could benefit from: (1) building on SEMARNAPs approach
of working at the local level—by examining local efforts in the
context of binational approaches and the interdependence of
border communities; (2) expanding on the strategies of pub-
lic participation and decentralization to achieve  true commu-
nity empowerment in decision making; (3) addressing the rela-
tionship  between the  environment,  natural resources,  and
    *    Summary and full reports of the meeting titled The U.S.-Mexican Border Environment: A Road Map to a Sustainable 2020 were published by SCERP
        and are available from that organization.
                                                EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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                           U.S.-Mexico Border  XXI Program: Progress Report  1996-2000
human health and such other factors as economy, education,
health, land use, municipal management, and energy use; and
(4)  employing those factors in the development and imple-
mentation of Border XXI workgroup activities.
                     BORDER XXI
 r                    STRATEGIES
          ENSURE PUBLIC  INVOLVEMENT
As stated in the Framework Document, the first strategy is
to "ensure public  involvement  in  the development and
implementation of the Border  XXI  Program .  . ." (II. 1 ).
As was stated further, "Both governments aim to engage
the creativity,  ideas, and energy of border residents in the
evolution and  ongoing implementation of the long-term
objectives . . .  "(II.l).
     Examples of public involvement activities include:
     • During the development of the Framework Docu-
     ment, public meetings held in the border region proved
     to be an important opportunity for the governments to
     listen to the concerns and recommendations of border
     residents.   In the United States, more than 20 public
     meetings were held in  border cities during 1995 and
     1996. In  Mexico, four regional and several state-level
     public meetings were held  during that same time peri-
     od.   In addition,  three binational meetings were host-
     ed by the two federal governments, one in Tijuana, Baja
     California; one in Nogales, Arizona; and one  in Ciu-
     dad Juarez, Chihuahua. The historic meetings   pro-
     vided the first  forums for border residents to engage in
     dialogue with  officials  of  both countries at the same
     time.
     • Public meetings are held periodically to  update bor-
     der communities on workgroup objectives, annual imple-
     mentation plans for the upcoming year, and summaries
     of accomplishments for the previous year.  Implemen-
     tation plans have been  published for 1996 to 2000.
     • Binational subworkgroups have been created to facil-
     itate dialogue at the regional and local levels or to address
     a  specific  border-wide  topic.  Some of the subwork-
     groups have been meeting every 6 to 12 months to pro-
     vide project updates, discuss policy and implementation
     issues, and engage stakeholders in  overall workgroup
     planning.
     • Border XXI has sought additional  input on border
    needs  and development through interaction with  the
    federal advisory councils of both governments, the Good
    Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB), and Mexico's
    Consejo Consultivo para el Desarrollo Sustentable, Region 1
    (CCDS, or Region 1 Advisory Council for Sustainable
    Development).
     • The EPA El Paso, Texas and San Diego,  California
    border liaison offices were established in 1994 and serve
    as the principal vehicle for providing  outreach on  the
    Border XXI Program and facilitating access to environ-
    mental information in border communities.   A satellite
    office is located in Brownsville, Texas.  The public  has
    electronic access to environmental information through
    the following mechanisms: (1) computer work stations
    that have been installed in the El Paso and San Diego
    border  liaison offices (see below), and (2) the Border
    EcoWeb, an Internet site that provides links to existing
    border  information.
     • SEMARNAP hosted six public meetings in 1997 to
    discuss the proposed environmental indicators for each
    Border XXI workgroup.  The purpose of the meetings
    was to  provide a forum for border residents, as well as
    representatives of state and local  governments, the pri-
    vate sector, and academic institutions, to offer their per-
    spectives on the proposed indicators  before  they were
    finalized.  After  the 1997 Indicators Report was pub-
    lished, SEMARNAP organized follow-up workshops in
    each of the six Mexican border states.

Recommendations
Despite the challenges, it is clear that the public  should be
more  involved in the Border XXI Program than is current-
ly the case.  Outreach could be made  more effective by:  (1)
providing more opportunities for public input to Border XXI;
(2)  revising the structure of the workgroup and National
Coordinators meetings to include a well-defined public par-
ticipation component; (3) establishing stronger links between
the workgroups and government representatives in charge of
conducting outreach and soliciting input from border com-
munities; (4) developing partnerships with border state agen-
cies to  strengthen and facilitate  public outreach; and  (5)
expanding and diversifying environmental information activ-
ities to better inform the public about Border XXI.
                                                 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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                          U.S.-Mexico Border  XXI Program:  Progress  Report 1996-2000
     BUILD  CAPACITY AND DECENTRALIZE
        ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
 The second strategy of the Border XXI Program, as identi-
 fied in the Framework Document, is to  "build capacity and
 decentralize environmental management in order to augment
 the participation of state and local  institutions . . ." (II. 1).
     The Border XXI Program has worked to  build  the
 capacity of state, local, and  tribal governments,  as well as
 that of other border  stakeholders, through: (1)  technical
 assistance and training; (2) funding; and (3) strengthening
 of partnerships and sharing of information. In the United
 States, emphasis has been placed on building the capabili-
 ties of federally recognized tribes, especially as they are relat-
 ed to infrastructure needs and operations.   In  addition,
 capacity-building efforts  under the Border XXI Program
 have extended to such areas as environmental  education,
 environmental justice,  and industry participation.

Building Capacity through  Technical Assistance
and Training
 The projects described below illustrate some of the capac-
 ity-building efforts of the Border XXI Program in the areas
 of technical assistance and training.
     • The Contingency Planning and Emergency Response
     Workgroup has assisted  cities along die  border in  die
     development of six sister city contingency plans that set
     forth  in  detail coordinated, standard procedures  for
     responding to emergencies involving hazardous substances.
     • The Environmental Health  Workgroup has helped
     increase local capacity by developing several health edu-
     cation programs and a health resource data base to main-
     tain quality health care  and respond to environmental
     health emergencies in the border region.
     • The Hazardous and  Solid Waste and Cooperative
     Enforcement and Compliance workgroups have enhanced
     local capacity by  developing a  range of  training pro-
     grams for state and  local officials on various  aspects of
     environmental  enforcement and sponsoring compliance
     seminars for transporters of maquiladora. hazardous waste.

Building Capacity through  Funding
 The projects described below illustrate some of the capac-
 ity-building efforts of the Border XXI Program  that have
 been realized through funding assistance.
     • The BECC has initiated substantial technical assis-
     tance efforts related to the development and financing
     of water, wastewater,  and solid  waste projects.  The
     efforts are aided by die BECC's Project Development
     Assistance Program (PDAP).  The NADB has approved
     $11.6  million to assist 60 communities through the
     Institutional Development Cooperation Program (IDP).
     • The World Banks  Programa Ambiental de la Fron-
     tera Norte de Mexico (PAFN, or Program for the North-
     ern Border of Mexico) has helped strengthen the capac-
     ity of the six Mexican border states and 10 of die munic-
     ipalities in those states.
     • The Border XXI Program has established a U.S.-Mex-
     ico  Community  Grants Program to build  capacity for
     environmental and natural resource protection at the local
     level by empowering communities to develop area-specif-
     ic solutions to environmental  problems and local envi-
     ronmental education efforts.   The  border communities
     were notified of grant opportunities through various media.
     • EPA has also  provided grant funding to U.S. states
     to  help build capacity in border communities and the
     industry sector.  The states have helped carry out much
     of the Border XXI work through  projects and programs
     on  pollution prevention, water  conservation, and  air
     quality monitoring.

Building Capacity through Strengthening of
Partnerships and  Sharing of Information
The projects described below illustrate  some of the capac-
ity-building efforts achieved through partnerships and infor-
mation cooperation.
     • The  Environmental Information  Resources  Work-
     group  and  the border liaison offices have supported
     capacity building in the border region through the cre-
     ation and sponsorship  of several  environmental  educa-
     tion initiatives, including: (1)  a new border-wide envi-
     ronmental education strategy and five binational coop-
     erative agreements to  create a number of environmen-
     tal education activities along the border region; (2) two
     guides on environmental education in the  border area;
     (3)  a council of educators; and (4) five environmental
     education binational conferences.
     • EPA has made a concerted effort to more effective-
     ly engage U.S.  border tribes  in  the  Border  XXI Pro-
                                                EXBOUTIVE SUMMARY

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                          U.S.-Mexico Border XXI  Program: Progress Report 1996-2000
     gram. In addition to acknowledging the important envi-
     ronmental and natural resources conservation role of the
     border tribes in the Coordination Principles between the
     BorderXXINationalCoordinators andthe U.S. and Mex-
     ican  Border States and U.S.  Tribes for  the Border XKI
     Program (Coordination Principles), EPA has also provid-
     ed several grants to  the tribes to build  capacity, with a
     special emphasis on training.
     • To address environmental justice concerns in border
     communities, EPA is taking a four-pronged approach,
     which consists of:
      -   Empowering  communities  and  building local
       capacity to  participate  in environmental decision-
       making and binational activities.
      -   Ensuring EPA's  responsiveness to environmental jus-
       tice concerns, including development  of a strategy to
       integrate environmental justice into all aspects of the
       Border XXI Program and other binational activities.
      -   Assuming a leadership role working with federal,
       state, and tribal agencies to encourage integration of
       environmental justice into their border programs.
      -   Reducing risk,  exposure,  and other adverse envi-
       ronmental impacts in the border region by ensuring
       compliance with environmental  laws and the clean-
       up of natural resources.
     • Although the SEMARNAP-initiated process of decen-
     tralizing  environmental management in the six border
     states in Mexico attained some small achievements, that
     principal objective has not been met.  One of the pri-
     mary obstacles to broader success has been the fact that
     only a few limited  functions have been placed  under
     state authority, without the  provision of the necessary
     resources to carry them out.
     • From  1995 to 1999, SEMARNAP  and the north-
     ern Mexican border states signed  163  decentralization
     agreements.

Recommendations
 Both governments recognize  that  much more  remains  to
 be done to strengthen the capacity of state, local, and trib-
 al  governments and to decentralize environmental man-
 agement.  Future efforts should focus on: (1)  facilitating
 further decentralization  through the next border program,
 including increasing authority and resources a.t the state
 and local levels, particularly in  Mexico; (2) enabling the
 full participation of all border states and U.S. tribes in the
 Border XXI program;  (3)  continuing to implement and
 expand the  environmental capacity-building program for
 Mexican states  and municipalities under PAFN;  and (4)
 through training and education,  continuing to build state-
 and local-level  capacity related to the promotion of sus-
 tainable development.

                       ENSURE
          INTERAGENCY COOPERATION
 The third  strategy of the  Border XXI Program, as identi-
 fied in the Framework Document, is to "ensure interagency
 cooperation to maximize  available  resources  and  avoid
 duplicative  efforts on the  part of government and other
 organizations, and reduce the burden that coordination with
 multiple entities places on border communities" (II. 1).  This
 strategy was developed as  a direct response  to public crit-
 icism  that federal environment and health activities along
 the border were implemented in  an uncoordinated fashion,
 often  resulting in a duplication of efforts.

Federal-to-Federal Cooperation
 The  emphasis  on  binational interagency coordination
 through Border XXI has helped  encourage involvement of
 a full  range of other federal agencies, each participating on
 a project-by-project basis.  The Border XXI Program is also
 linked to  other NAFTA-related  institutions such as the
 Commission for  Environmental Cooperation  (CEC), the
 BECC, the  NADB, and the  International  Boundary and
 Water Commission (IBWC).

State,  Local, and Tribal Cooperation
 In  addition to extensive federal-to-federal cooperation, inter-
 governmental coordination  and cooperation with border
 states  and  U.S. tribes has been  a key achievement of the
 Border XXI Program.  The partnership role that those enti-
 ties play was recently formalized  through agreement on the
 Coordination Principles.  At the National Coordinators Meet-
 ing in Ensenada, Mexico in May 1999, all 10 border state
 environmental  agencies,  EPA, and SEMARNAP signed the
 document.  Present at the special session during which the
 document was  signed were representatives of 14 U.S. feder-
 ally recognized  border  tribes.  The Coordination  Principles
                                                BXBOUTIVa  SUMMARY

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI  Program: Progress Report  1996-2000
are intended to strengthen partnerships  to further enhance
the ability of border state agencies and tribes  to plan  an
integral role in the Border XXI Program, including the devel-
opment of the next border plan.
    Although participation has been limited, local govern-
ments have played a role in the Border XXI Program.  For
example, local governments have been involved in the devel-
opment of binational sister city contingency and emergency
plans and recommendations for binational  air pollution
abatement strategies  in specific areas, such as the  El Paso
County-Ciudad Judrez-Dofia Ana County, New Mexico  air
basin and the San Diego County-Tijuana region.
    Some EPA-supported state  initiatives in  the  border
region are not currently part of the Border XXI Program.
For example, work being done on pesticides use and expo-
sure is not explicitly covered by any Border XXI  workgroup.
However, with EPA funding, the four  U.S. border states
sponsored several information exchange conferences for U.S.
and Mexican officials to improve working relationships with
agencies responsible for pesticide regulations hi Mexico.  In
the next phase of border  planning, pesticides  issues may
receive more focused attention.
    The states play a critical role  in helping to address bor-
der environmental and natural resource management issues, and
EPA encourages continued support for such cooperative efforts.

Cross-Workgroup Cooperation
As each  of the Border XXI  workgroups' programs  devel-
oped, it became apparent that many of the individual pro-
grams could benefit from collaborative  interaction.  The
benefits of collaboration were especially  evident in the case
of the Environmental Health Workgroup, which found syn-
ergistic opportunities with the Air, Hazardous and Solid
Waste, Environmental Information Resources,  and  Water
Workgroups.  Since many of the health problems occur-
ring along the border are the result of water- or air-based
vectors, it became evident that measured changes in air and
water quality were an ideal test bed for  measuring changes
in health status.
    As a result of joint efforts between the Air and Envi-
ronmental Health Workgroups, preliminary air measurements
made by EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD),
in collaboration with the Texas Natural Resource Conserva-
tion Commission (TNRCC), concluded that a children's pul-
monary health study would be feasible. The Air and Envi-
ronmental Health Workgroups continue to work with local
agencies to design a study in El Paso County to further ana-
lyze the problem.
    As a result of joint efforts between the Water and Envi-
ronmental Health Workgroups, several projects are under way
to identify key water bodies for which joint studies could
be developed. Projects could be implemented in Nuevo Lare-
do, Nuevo Le6n; Reynosa, Tamaulipas; El Paso; and Del
Rio, Texas as a result of those efforts.  In addition, the Envi-
ronmental Health and Water Workgroups have jointly imple-
mented the Agua Limpid en Casa (Clean Water in Homes)
program, which is described in the Environmental  Health
Workgroup segment of the next section.
    Coordination between the Cooperative Enforcement and
Compliance Workgroup and the Hazardous and Solid Waste
Workgroup has resulted in the streamlining of both work-
groups. Joint subworkgroup meetings are held regularly, and
information is exchanged on case-specific investigations relat-
ed to  the  transboundary  movement  of hazardous  wastes
between the United States and Mexico. The two workgroups
also participate in joint training sessions on regulations relat-
ed to illegal shipments of hazardous waste, as well as import
and export regulations governing hazardous waste and mate-
rials.  They also train hazardous waste inspectors.

Public- and Private-Sector Cooperation
Federal, state, tribal, and local agencies involved in the Bor-
der XXI Program have been working to  cultivate  strong
public and private partnerships with industry.
    In March 1999, EPA and the Procuraduria  Federal de
Proteccidn alAmbiente (PROFEPA, or Mexico's Federal Attor-
ney General for the Environment) sponsored the Environ-
mental Auditing and Pollution Prevention in the Maquilado-
ra Industry conference, held in San Francisco, California for
maquiladora parent  companies and trade associations.  The
purpose of the conference was to increase awareness of envi-
ronmental stewardship and to encourage corporate executives
to augment their roles as environmental stewards.
    In 1999, EPA and SEMARNAP signed the Seven Prin-
ciples  of Environmental Stewardship for the 21st Century
(Seven  Principles) with the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Com-
merce  (USMCOC)  and the BECC.   The Seven Principles
advance the notion  of corporate environmental stewardship
                                                EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY

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                           U.S.-Mexico Border  XXI  Program: Progress Report 1996-2000
and  seek to promote sustainable development through the
enhancement of environmental compliance and  implemen-
tation of economically efficient and effective environmental
measures.  A comprehensive strategy for promoting the effort
is currently being developed.

 Recommendations
As a result of the efforts and experiences gained, both gov-
ernments recognize that much more remains to  be done to
facilitate further binational  cooperation at all levels.  The
following efforts and changes could be considered under the
next border program: (1) either  refine the program mission
for  the  next phase of border cooperation so that it  better
reflects  the jurisdictions of the environmental  and  health
agencies in both countries (that is, so that it is focused only
on those activities over which the environmental and health
agencies have influence) or expand the scope of the  border
program to include other federal agencies in the next phase
of the border program; (2) continue to strengthen  overall
coordination efforts with border states and tribes;  (3) initi-
ate  mechanisms that will more  fully involve local govern-
ment; (4) continue efforts to promote cross-linkages between
workgroups; (5) boost efforts to more closely coordinate with
other NAFTA-related  institutions; and (6) involve   states,
tribes, and local governments in the development,  quantifi-
cation,  and evaluation of environmental indicators.

 ft,  v    THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER XXI
 ^WORKGROUPS: KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
This section highlights the major accomplishments of the nine
Border XXI Workgroups and provides a brief overview of the
program efforts from 1996  to 2000 to preserve the  border
environment and the health of border residents and to pro-
tect  the regions natural resources.  Although much work
remains, the Border XXI Program has made great strides in
preventing  further environmental deterioration through proj-
ects that have fostered improvements in envkonmental stew-
ardship.  This binational cooperation has enabled significant
improvements to be made in both the continuity and  the
uniformity of natural ecosystem and biodiversity preservation.
Following  are summaries of some of the most  relevant
accomplishments of each workgroup.
Air
The Border XXI Air "Workgroup has advanced knowledge
about air quality conditions in principal border sister cities.
The workgroup also has coordinated with other agencies
to help monitor, prevent, and  control air pollution.   In
addition, progress has been made  in Mexico on identify-
ing significant contamination sources through the estab-
lishment of the Emission Inventory Development Program.
    The Air Workgroup has initiated and conducted bina-
tional air program activities in the sister cities of San Diego
County, California-Tijuana, Baja California; Imperial County,
California-Mexicali, Baja California; Nogales, Arizona-Nogales,
Sonora; Douglas, Arizona-Agua Prieta, Sonora; and El  Paso
County-Ciudad Juarez-Dona Ana County.  Recent efforts have
concentrated on  establishing and operating air quality moni-
toring networks in. Tijuana and Mexicali, similar to those oper-
ating in San Diego  County and  Imperial County and in El
Paso County-Ciudad Juarez-Dona Ana County.
    In May 199(5, the Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) for
the Improvement of Air Quality in the El Paso County-Ciu-
dad Juarez-Dona Ana County  Air Basin was created to pro-
vide locally based recommendations to the Air Workgroup
on how to  manage air quality  in the region.  In May 1999,
the JAC completed a strategic plan that includes  26 priori-
ties for improving air quality.
    Other accomplishments of the Air Workgroup include
the development of (1) the Ciudad Judrez Air Quality Man-
agement Program 1998—2002 (published in May 1998), and
(2) the  Program to  Improve  Air  Quality  in  Mexicali
2000-2005 (published in February 2000).  Both programs
were developed with the participation of various communi-
ty sectors.  It is expected that the Air Quality Program for
Tijuana will be  released  in 2000.
    The Air Workgroup, in collaboration with the Western
Governors' Association (WGA), initiated the Emissions Inven-
tory Development Program to strengthen Mexico's capacity
for completing tliis important air quality planning activity.
The cornerstone  of the program has  been the development of
a series of 10 guidance manuals  that Mexico's Instituto Nacional
de Ecologia (INE, or National  Institute of Ecology) will use
as a reference in the development of its revised emissions inven-
tory program.  Currently, five  manuals have been completed
        The subsections are presented in alphabetical order by workgroup name.  In the translation of this Executive Summary, the subsections appear in
        alphabetical order by workgroup name in Spanish.
                                                 EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY

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                          U.S.-Mexico Border  XXI Program: Progress  Report 1996-2000
 in  both Spanish and English while,  at the time this report
 was prepared, completion of the other five was expected in
 2000.  INE, in conduction with the WGA, selected Mexicali
 as the first city to produce an emissions inventory under the
 new program. This pilot program for Mexicali began in 1997.
 The second pilot program for Tijuana began in 1999.  Its
 completion is expected by the end of 2000.
     The U.S.-Mexico Centra de Informacidn sobre Contam-
 inaddn deAirepam la Frontera MAcico-EUA (CICA, or Bor-
 der Information Center on Air Pollution)  has been a strong
 supporter of the workgroup's activities and has provided tech-
 nical assistance hi evaluating air pollution conditions along
 the border.
     In addition, in the spirit of the Border XXI Program,
 die workgroup formed  two specialized  subworkgroups  to
 address issues related to (1) energy and (2) vehicle conges-
 tion at border crossings.

Contingency Planning and Emergency Response
 The U.S.-Mexico Joint Contingency Plan for responding to
 hazardous material leaks or spills along the border was mod-
 ified in June 1999 to reflect the institutional and legislative
 changes that have occurred in both countries.  The modi-
 fied plan changed the binational notification system to ensure
 timely notification of the appropriate counterpart  officials
 when  a chemical accident occurs hi the border region.
     The Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Oper-
 ations (CAMEO) system was successfully translated into Span-
 ish for use in the border region.  CAMEO is a software sys-
 tem that facilitates chemical emergency response and planning.
     In addition,  six contingency plans were signed for the
 following sister city pairs: Eagle Pass, Texas-Piedras Negras,
 Coahuila; Brownsville, Texas-Matamoros, Tamaulipas; Lare-
 do, Texas-Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas; San  Luis, Arizona-San
 Luis Rfo Colorado, Sonora; McAllen, Texas-Reynosa;  and
 Nogales, Arizona-Nogales, Sonora. The plans address inter-
 national coordination requirements for responding to emer-
 gencies involving hazardous substances.

Cooperative Enforcement and Compliance
 The Cooperative Enforcement and Compliance Workgroup
 formed five regional subworkgroups to strengthen enforce-
 ment  and compliance strategies and improve coordination
among local, state, and federal agencies on both sides of
the border. The first three subworkgroups were established
for Texas,  New Mexico,  and Chihuahua; California and
Baja California; and Arizona and Sonora.  In 1998, two
additional subworkgroups were established for Coahuila and
Texas and Nuevo Le6n, Tamaulipas, and Texas.
    The regional subworkgroups have cooperated bination-
ally on various investigations, joint inspections, and other spe-
cific incidents.  Such binational cooperation occurred on the
following occasions: (1) an incident involving die import to
Mexico of a material identified as enhanced soil; (2) a case
involving Alco Pacffico of Mexico; and (3) an incident involv-
ing the import to Mexico of empty drums that formerly con-
tained hazardous materials or waste. In addition,  the exchange
of information  has  facilitated the detection of illegal ship-
ments to and from  the United States and Mexico.
    The workgroup has supported a capacity-building train-
ing program designed to educate border personnel on envi-
ronmental enforcement programs.  Federal, state, and local
environmental officials from Mexico and the United States
have participated in this program, along with customs per-
sonnel from both countries.  As a result, hundreds  of indi-
viduals have been trained on the legal aspects related to cross-
border transportation of hazardous substances, chemicals, and
pesticides and the illegal commerce in ozone-depleting sub-
stances and flora and  fauna.
    EPA, PROFEPA, and the border states have collabo-
rated to promote environmental auditing.  Since its incep-
tion, Mexico's National Environmental Audit Program has
enlisted more than 1,345 businesses, 395 of which are locat-
ed in Mexico's northern border states and 81 of which rep-
resent the maquiladora  industry.   In  addition, PROFEPA
issued 412  Clean Industry Certificates from 1997 to 1999.
The certificates were issued to those companies that exhib-
ited timely compliance  with  action plans established as  a
result of environmental audits.  Each certificate is valid for
two years and is renewable for another two-year period.
    EPA has worked  with PROFEPA to promote environ-
mental auditing efforts among the U.S. parent companies of
maejuilttdoras. For example, EPA issued letters to parent com-
panies encouraging  those companies to take part in PRO-
FEPA's environmental  audit program.  EPA also has distrib-
uted an informative video that presents environmental audit-
                                               EXBO UTI VE SUMMARY
                                                        10

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI Program:  Progress  Report  1995-2000
 ing as a tool for ensuring compliance and identifying pollu-
 tion prevention opportunities.   Acknowledging the global-
 ization of today's industries, EPA and PROFEPA held a con-
 ference for twin plants in March 1999 to promote increased
 levels of environmental compliance and pollution reduction.

Environmental Health
 Some  adverse  health  effects seen along the U.S.-Mexico
 border appear  to  be caused by environmental  contamina-
 tion of air, water, and soil by chemical and biological pol-
 lutants.  The Environmental Health Workgroup has estab-
 lished  numerous activities  to address these  issues and
 improve the quality of life on the border.  Highlights of
 those activities include:

 The Lower Rio Grande Valley Cross-Border Air Pollu-
 tion Project found that transboundary transportation of
 emissions originating  in  Mexico  did  not appear to cause
 noticeable deterioration of air quality on  the U.S. side of
 the lower Rio  Grande Valley border.

 As part of the Pediatric Lead Exposure Initiative, a labora-
 tory for blood lead  analysis was established  at the Hospital
 Municipal de Tijuana (Tijuana Municipal Hospital).  Local
 personnel and community members were trained to recognize
 symptoms of lead  poisoning.  As a result, not only are chil-
 dren with elevated blood lead levels receiving care, but the
 sources of the lead exposure are being determined as well.  A
 separate Centers for  Disease Control and Prevention/Nation-
 al Center for Environmental Health study  in the Arizona-
 Sonora border region in March 1998 identified no major sites
 of concern on the basis of the sample population.

 The Advanced Training Project is part  of a binational
 program to strengthen environmental health capabilities of
 individuals and institutions in  the  areas of environmental
 and occupational toxicology, epidemiology, engineering, and
 risk communication in the U.S.-Mexico border region.  To
 date, four scholarships have been  awarded to public health
 workers to  obtain masters degrees in environmental epi-
 demiology,  and several  short  courses covering epidemic-
 logical  themes  have been conducted.
The Environmental Health  Alert and  Communication
Project facilitates access to quality health and environmental
information for border communities, health providers, and
health officials.   In  collaboration  with the four U.S.  bor-
der states, the Environmental Health Yellow Pages, a resource
tool to  help identify agencies  responsible for specific envi-
ronmental health, issues, have been compiled.

The Retrospective Study on Pediatric Asthma and Air Qual-
ity focused on children between the ages of 1 and 17 residing
in the Paso del Norte airshed who visited an emergency room
for asthma treatment. The study showed that there was a pos-
itive correlation between levels  of paniculate matter less  than
10 microns in diameter (PM-10) and the incidence of asthma.

The  Toxicology Center  Development  Project helps
strengthen the ability of Mexican  regional,  state, and local
toxicology centers to respond to  environmental emergen-
cies and the clinical  needs of poisoned patients.  The proj-
ect also helps improve the capacity of environmental health
officials to identify potentially hazardous places and indus-
tries.  To  date, toxicology centers  have been established in
Hermosillo, Sonora  and Ciudad Juarez.  A third is being
established in Reynosa.

Identifying priorities for the Environmental Health Work-
group and cross-referencing these priorities with other work-
groups, particularly  those for Water,  Air, Hazardous and
Solid Waste, and Environmental  Information Resources, has
allowed Border XXI  to ensure  that the  protection of human
health remains  the most important goal of the program.
    As an example,  the Environmental Health Workgroup,
together widi the Water Workgroup, developed the pilot pro-
gram  Clean Water in Homes in some border communities in
Chihuahua and  Sonora.  The  objective was to  improve the
health conditions of residents  of small, impoverished com-
munities that lack basic infrastructure.   Such  communities
often  have high infant mortality rates (rates for children under
one year) because of gastroenteritis.
    Major accomplishments of die program include:
    • A decrease (13.2 percent) in enteric diseases
    • An increase  (13 percent) in water  purification
    awareness
                                                SXieUTIVB  SUMMARY
                                                         11

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                           U.S.-Mexico Border  XXI Program:  Progress  Report 1996-2000
     • An increase in water purification practices  (between
    3.5 and 20 percent)
     • An increase (between 3 and 5 percent)  in vegetable
    disinfection
    The external assessment conducted by Mexico's Fun-
dacldn de  Mtxico-Estados Unidos para la Ciencia (FUMEC,
or Mexico-United States Foundation for Science) concurred
with the program by noting the significant decrease in gas-
trointestinal diseases in the community.
    The program has been highly successful, achieving good
results with few resources.  The current plan is to extend the
program to both sides of the border on a permanent basis.

Environmental Information Resources
With respect to environmental information, the Border XXI
Program has made significant progress in developing infor-
mation systems to facilitate a deeper understanding of the
environment. These systems also have helped promote bet-
ter-informed public participation.
    Following is an overview of several projects the Environ-
mental Information Resources "workgroup has  implemented.

The border environmental indicators are used to  measure
environmental performance and to provide a basis for assess-
ing both the progress and  of Border XXI activities and  their
impacts on the environment.  The indicators are also used to
help inform the public  about conditions of and pressures on
die environment and natural resources and the effectiveness
of actions  taken to address those concerns. The 1997 Indi-
cators Report was developed with input from the public.  An
update of  the information published in that report is provid-
ed in the  individual workgroup chapters of this document.

The Border EcoWeb is an environmental inventory being
developed for  use on  the Internet.  The  multiyear project
was undertaken in response to the growing demand for envi-
ronmental information in  the border communities. Border
EcoWeb includes environmental information, project  lists,
and points of contact for  environmental  border activities.

The Reporte del Estado Ambiental y de los Recursos Nat-
urales en la Frontera Norte de Mexico  (Report on the
State  of the  Environment and  Natural  Resources in die
Northern  Border of Mexico) describes the economic, social,
demographic, natural, environmental, and institutional con-
ditions in Mexico's northern border region.  The report also
establishes an objective baseline of scientific information relat-
ed to those parameters.

A geographic information system (GIS), developed  coop-
eratively between Mexico's Institute Nacional de Estadistica,
Geografia e Informdtica (INEGI, or National Institute of Sta-
tistics, Geography, and Information) and the U.S. Geologi-
cal  Survey (USGS),  produces aerial photographs  and spe-
cialized maps of the border region. To date, aerial coverage
of the U.S. border has been  completed, while aerial cover-
age of regions in Mexico is still underway. A binational dig-
ital map, as well as  a variety of GIS applications, will be
developed on the basis of the results of the project.

Hazardous and Solid Waste
EPA  and INE  operated the Hazardous Waste  Tracking
System (HAZTRAKS) for several years.  In 1998, HAZ-
TRAKS was  replaced in Mexico with INE's version of a
hazardous  waste tracking  system,  known  as  Sistema de
Rastreo de Residues Peligrosos (SIRREP,  or Tracking Sys-
tem for Hazardous Wastes).  The use of both systems has
considerably  improved the ability to  monitor trans-
boundary hazardous waste shipments in the U.S.-Mexi-
co border  region.  It is worth noting that a 1999  study
carried out by TNRCC determined that the operation of
SIRREP and the  HAZTRAKS system is the most  effec-
tive way of tracking the  movement  of hazardous wastes
between the  two  countries.
    Another relevant accomplishment of the Border XXI
Hazardous and  Solid Waste Workgroup was the negotia-
tion and recent agreement on the Consultative Mechanism
for the Exchange of Information on New and Existing Facil-
ities for the Management of Hazardous and Radioactive Waste
within 100 Kilometers of the U.S.-Mexico Border.  The mech-
anism addresses public concern on both sides of the bor-
der related to the siting and operation of hazardous and
radioactive waste facilities in the border region.  The agree-
ment will  allow the two  countries to exchange data and
other information about new and existing treatment, stor-
age,  and disposal  facilities  in the border region that han-
dle hazardous or radioactive  wastes.
                                                EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
                                                        12

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI Program:  Progress  Report:  1996-2000
Natural Resources
The Natural Resources Workgroup has implemented numer-
ous activities  related to  biodiversity and natural protected
areas.   The principal activities were carried out under a
letter of intent (LOI) signed in June 1997 between SEMAR-
NAP and DOI.  The LOI broadened cooperation to pre-
serve contiguous natural protected areas along the  border
in  two pilot  regions, the Sonoran Desert  and the  Chi-
huahua Desert.  The agreement established a basis for man-
aging  the areas as shared ecosystems.   Compatible man-
agement systems provide  the continuity needed for pro-
tection activities and research efforts on both sides of the
border.  Several projects of common interest have already
been implemented in these shared protected natural areas,
including: (1) exchange  of personnel; (2) capacity building
through training; (3)  development of species inventories;
and (4) cooperation on  cultural  resources.
     In June 1999,  SEMARNAP and DOI  signed a  joint
declaration  to increase  binational cooperation in activities
related to the upper San Pedro River basin.  The declara-
tion focuses on  improving and conserving the basins natu-
ral and cultural  resources, including the  river and its ripar-
ian zone. The agreement includes provisions for policy coor-
dination,  instrument formulation,  research,  transboundary
species study,  and information exchange.
     One of the foremost accomplishments achieved in Mex-
ico has been the establishment of a management system for
six natural protected areas in the border region. The sys-
tem provides for the development of management plans and
ensures the availability of personnel, equipment, vehicles,
and financial resources for the natural protected areas.  In
addition,  Mexico has identified habitats for  species that
require special protection, such as the bighorn sheep, the
black bear, the pronghorn, the ironwood, and various cacti.

Pollution Prevention
The Pollution Prevention Workgroup has worked to estab-
lish pollution prevention, energy efficiency, and recycling as
practical methods of achieving economic growth and envi-
ronmental protection along the U.S.-Mexico border.   INE
has  established  a pollution  prevention  office within the
agency; partnerships have been initiated  among INE, EPA,
the states, industries, and educational institutions along the
border.  EPA  and the states have worked with PROFEPA
to promote pollution  prevention as a means of achieving
compliance. Highlights have included pollution prevention
workshops, held with the cooperation of local governments,
industry, and educational institutions, on topics that best
suit the needs of the communities.
    Three pollution prevention roundtables have been ini-
tiated to further promote pollution prevention and energy
efficiency as a cost-effective and sustainable way to achieve
economic growth while preserving the border environment.
Roundtable members consider the concerns and needs of the
maquiladora  industry and view local academic institutions
as a way to address those needs through the  establishment
of sustainable cooperative programs.
    By increasing efficiency and promoting pollution pre-
vention as  a cost-effective  environmental compliance tool,
workgroup members have joined together to  provide tech-
nical assistance along the border.   In California-Baja Cali-
fornia, technical assistance was  provided through a series of
workshops  targeting the  electronic and textile sectors.  The
workshops  educated the  industries  on methods that would
reduce air pollution.
    Through the Arizona-Mexico International Green Orga-
nization  (AMIGO) program, manufacturers, trade  associa-
tions, and government agencies  in the Arizona-Sonora region
are invited to participate  in AMIGO activities, including the
sharing of information about successful waste reduction activ-
ities and technology transfer. For their participation in the
program, maquiladora  facilities  were presented with  awards
for environmental excellence.
    Along the  Texas-Mexico border, TNRCC, in conjunc-
tion with PROFEPAs voluntary  auditing program, completed
21 on-site technical assistance visits to maquiladoras. Reports
from participating maquiladoras indicated annual reductions
of 9,600 tons of hazardous waste, 88,600 pounds of volatile
organic compounds (VOC), and 57,400 tons of nonhaz-
ardous waste.  Further, 37 million gallons  of water and 77
million  kilowatt hours of electrical energy had been con-
served.  Through pollution prevention and energy conserva-
tion methods, the maquiladoras had realized annual savings
of almost $10.1 million.
    Rather than leaving cosdy  remediation for future gen-
erations,  the  Pollution Prevention Workgroup endeavors  to
achieve economic growth and a healthy environment through
the prevention of environmental problems. The workgroup
                                                EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY
                                                         13

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI  Program: Progress Report  1996-2000
relies heavily on the work of and its partnership with the
border states as they continue to collaborate with industry
and  educational institutions  in  local communities to carry
out pollution prevention efforts.

Water
After five years, the Border XXI Program has made signif-
icant progress in implementing infrastructure that address-
es water needs in the border regions.
     The main improvement in Mexico has been the increase
in potable water services between 1995 and 2000 from 88
percent of the population served to 93 percent served.  The
availability of sewage services also has increased from 60 per-
cent served  in  1995 to 75 percent served  in  2000, while
wastewater treatment improved  from 34 percent to 75 per-
cent served.  Most border communities in the United States
now have 100 percent water and sewage coverage, with the
exception of the communities known as  colonias.  Howev-
er, in most  of the colonias as well as in  other areas, funds
have already been allocated for improving systems operations
and  for increasing water and  sewage coverage.
     The three levels of government from both countries, as
well as binational agencies, have participated in the program.
The United States-Mexico Border Infrastructure  Coopera-
tion Committee is made up of participants representing EPA,
Mexico's Comisitn National  del Agua (CNA, or National
Water Commission), both sections of the IBWC, the BECC,
and  the NADB. Through the committee, the partners work
closely to develop policies for implementing potable water
and sanitation projects in the region, thereby increasing insti-
tutional  coordination,  streamlining decision  making, and
optimizing available resources.
     The  BECC and the  NADB were created to collabo-
rate on  the preparation, development, implementation,
and funding of border infrastructure projects.  Since Sep-
tember 1995> the BECC has  certified 36 water or sani-
tation projects on both sides of the border.  Some of the
projects have already been completed, while others are in
progress or  still in  the  planning stage.   Certified projects
might receive funding from  EPA's Border Environmental
Infrastructure Fund (BEIF).   The  BEIF,  which is man-
aged by the NADB, provides  grants equal to those pro-
vided by federal, state, and  local governments.  To date,
the BEIF has provided significant funding for several cer-
tified projects.   In addition, loans are available through
the NADB.
    Among the many projects  in the planning stages are
specific programs to provide services to colonias and various
Indian tribes on the U.S.  side of the  border.  In addition,
Indian tribes in the U.S. border area have received funding
for sewage and potable water projects through both the Envi-
ronmental Infrastructure Program  for Indian Tribes and the
Border Grant Program.
    EPA,  CNA, BECC, NADB, IBWC, and FUMEC have
collaborated on  various studies focused on strengthening
water utilities.   The  studies  have assisted the  utilities  in
improving the design and planning of various projects, as
well as in  watershed monitoring.
    Special  emphasis has also been placed on border water-
shed management, mainly of the Colorado River and the
Rio Grande. Binational committees have been established
to address technical problems and  collaboration issues.  The
committees have worked to characterize water quality, with
the goal of  determining the correlation  between the devel-
opment and maintenance of environmental infrastructure and
the water quality of the two rivers.
    In addition, the Water Workgroup has helped build capac-
ity in communities on both sides of the  border. Most notably,
EPA has provided  resources to support  workshops and the
development of training manuals for utility operators.

t   ~                CLOSING
C* -          *      REMARKS                      \
This report provides the first comprehensive account of the
efforts over  the past five years of the U.S.-Mexico  Border
XXI Program to improve  environmental,  health, and nat-
ural resource conditions and promote sustainable develop-
ment in the U.S.-Mexico border region.  Through an eval-
uation of the  progress and the limitations of  the  Border
XXI Program, the federal governments of the United States
and Mexico hope that the reader will learn more about not
only the strengths  and weaknesses of  the Border XXI Pro-
gram, but also the complexity of the endeavor and the scale
of the challenges that remain.  While this report is retro-
spective, it also marks the beginning  of a forward-looking
process  for  augmenting the  participation of border resi-
        Number of projects certified as of March 2000.
                                                EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY
                                                        14

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                           U.S.-Mexico  Border XXI Program: Progress Report 1996-2000
dents, increasing local-level capacity, and creating additional
public and private partnerships to  meet the needs of the
border region.
    The Border XXI partnership has achieved notable suc-
cesses, among them a vastly increased level of infrastructure
development, innovative and wide-reaching mechanisms for
addressing border  clean-up, accords with border states and
tribes, and an ambitious agenda for work with the private
sector.  The indicators project, updated in this report, pro-
vides the public with qualitative and quantitative assessments
of those and odier aspects of the program. In addition, the
Border XXI Program has provided an important mechanism
for increasing the  depth of public  involvement in  environ-
mental protection  and has provided more information and
better tools for  doing so than existed  before the  program
began.
    Despite substantial efforts and important advances, seri-
ous environmental problems remain.  Water pollution, poor
air  quality, lack of infrastructure, exposure to toxics, out-
breaks  of infectious diseases,  and  problems  related to the
transboundary shipment of hazardous material are just some
of the issues that border communities continue to face. Many
of the difficulties In addressing these problems are  attribut-
able to the area's staggering growth, a growth that, even by
the most conservative projections, will result in the near-
doubling of the region's population to 19 million people by
2020.   This explosive population growth, coupled with
unplanned development,  has  challenged  both institutional
and infrastructural. capacity.   Responding to various envi-
ronmental and health concerns  in a vast area experiencing
almost limitless growth and having very limited resources,
and across cultures,  languages,  and political systems, has
proven to be among  the most challenging aspects  of the
implemention of the program.
     The two federal governments acknowledge  the serious-
ness and  magnitude of the work  that lies ahead and hope
that this report helps to spur further dialogue about  not only
the design and scope of the next border cooperation  frame-
work,  but also the form  and function of future collabora-
tive opportunities.
                                                 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
                                                         15
                                                                                       •U.S. Government Printing Office; 20O1 —62O-779

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