ADEQ
Arizona DeDartment^^1
Arizona Department
of Envi
nvironmental Quality
SECRETARiA OE
MEDIOAMBIEHTEY
' RECURS05 NATURALE5
BORDER 2012: U.S.- MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
ARIZONA - SONORA
Summer 2004
Arizona/Sonora Task Force Capacity Building Workshop
By Lorena Lopez-Powers
The Arizona/Sonora
Regional Workgroup's Border 2012
Task Force Workshop was held to give
task force leaders and key community representatives, additional infor-
mation on the Border 2012 Program and ensure that task force leaders
are fully aware of: their roles and responsibilities, funding opportunties,
and expectations on Program results, reporting, and accountability.
Participants also had the opportunity to listen and interact in an
"Outreach and Stakeholder Involvement" panel, which included represen-
tatives from industry, non-governmental organizations, and a U.S. tribal
coordinator. Through the implementation of Border 2012, task forces
are encouraged to fully engage with the public as they develop and carry
out their work plans and priorities. Panelists made recommendations on
how to enhance the participation of community stakeholders in the task
forces, as this has been a challenge in previous border programs.
The demand for communication and information sharing increases
as Border 2012 progresses. This challenge is being addressed
through the creation of an electronic bulletin board where infor-
mation on Border 2012 is posted. The bulletin board is available
at www.border2012.net. We anticipate that the bulletin board will
complement the official Border 2012 web site managed by EPA
(www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder).
Finally, the workshop included an open forum to raise issues and con-
cerns on program and/or project-specific activities. The Arizona-Sonora
Regional Workgroup hopes to continue a dialogue among the members
of the task forces to address the challenges they face as the Border
2012 Program continues.
BORDER 2012: U.S.- MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
REGIONAL WORKGROUP NEWSLETTER
ARIZONA - SONORA
Summer 2004
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SAN DIEGO BORDER LIAISON OFFICE
610 WEST ASH STREET, SUITE 905
SAN DlEGO CA 92101
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300
AN EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP 1
REGIONAL WORKGROUP MEETING NOTES 2
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS KEY 3
BORDER PEOPLE: MEET THE CO-CHAIRS 4
TRIBAL UPDATE 5
CHILDREN'S TASK FORCE MEETS 6
AIR QUALITY AND WATER TASK FORCE UPDATES 7
WASTE AND ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE UPDATE 8
ABOUT WWW.E-REAP.ORG 9
CONTACTS 10
i Printed on recycled paper
EPA-909-N-04-002
We in the Regional Workgroup Newsletter Committee, have
a continuing commitment to inform the public on Border
2012. This Arizona/Sonora Regional Workgroup publication
(Summer 2004) provides community stakeholders with
information on environmental work that is being done in
the region. It also contains specific contact information on
the five task forces that were created under the workgroup.
In this edition, we are introducing two new features that
profile co-chairs of the workgroup as well as community
members active in working on environmental issues in
the Arizona-Sonora border region. We hope to continue
to serve our communities on both sides of the border
with information that is important to them. If you have
any specific questions, please feel free to contact us at
1-800-334-0741 (San Diego Border Office) or 1-888-271-
9302 (ADEQ Tucson Office).
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2 ARIZONA-SONORA: Regional Workgroup Newsletter
Notes from Regional Workgroup Meeting in Rio Rico, AZ
By Edna Mendoza
TheArizona-Sonora
Regional Workgroup sponsored
a public meeting in Rio Rico,
Arizona on February 11, 2004.
This second meeting of the
Regional Workgroup was chaired
by Mr. Ed Ranger of the Arizona
Department of Environmental
Quality (ADEQ), Ms. Laura
Yoshii of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and Lie.
Eduardo Charles Pesqueira of the
Secretariat of Urban Infrastructure
and Ecology of Sonora (SIUE).
Opening remarks were made by
each of the co-chairs followed by
presentations on the Border 2012
competitive grants program, tribal
issues, communication tools, and
updates from each of the Arizona-
Sonora task forces. Approximately
100 people attended.
The meeting began with Ms.
Yoshii providing a summary
of the National Coordinators'
Meeting held in early December
in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The
national leaders of EPA and
SEMARNAT were very receptive
to input from the regional work
groups, urging them to continue
to provide concrete comments.
During the meeting, briefings were
given for:
Water- Participants agreed that
one of the highest priorities is infra-
structure. To date 51 projects have
been certified and funded by the
BECC and NADBANK, benefiting
6.4 million people. There is a com-
mitment to continue to identify the
highest priorities.
Air - Completion of a borderwide
baseline study is important for
establishing projects and activi-
ties to achieve the goals of Border
2012. Good progress has been
made in obtaining air monitoring
data, which is essential to identify
the most effective projects and
activities. Use of low sulfur fuels
and diesel retrofits were the top
national priorities identified.
Land Management - There is a
need to develop waste management
infrastructure. This will be a focus
at both the national and regional
levels. Tire piles were identified
as a priority for improved manage-
ment, including reuse and recycling
options. Another priority is track-
ing hazardous waste and the need
for binational policies for cleanup
projects.
Environmental Health - The par-
ticipants agreed to include health
issues in all areas of the Border
2012 program.
Chemical Emergency Response
- Tremendous progress has been
made in ensuring good communi-
cation, and the ability to respond
jointly. There is a commitment
to continue developing sister city
agreements, 12 of which have
been completed. There is a need
to incorporate homeland security
issues more fully. Mexico's need
for more equipment is being
addressed. There is a program
underway to make surplus equip-
ment available to Mexico. (See
related article on page 9.)
Enforcement and Compliance - The
group agreed to conduct a survey
for baseline data of compliance, in
order to identify projects aimed at
improving compliance with environ-
mental regulations.
EPA's Gary Wolinsky briefed the
audience on the status of the
Border 2012 competitive grants
program. A request for proposals
(RFP) was announced in September
2003 for this initial round of
funding and closed on December
31st. The proposals are now under
review by the Regional Workgroup
co-chairs. Final selection of proj-
ects is planned for early summer
2004. Almost $4.7 million in
requests were received from the
Arizona/Sonora and California/Baja
California regions, with most
focused on water projects. These
regions received 90 proposals, while
Texas/New Mexico border areas
generated 85 proposals. Since there
are far more proposals than can
be funded, other funding sources
are being sought. Some additional
funds are available from other areas
of the EPA's budget (not just border-
specific funds), such as resource
recovery funds for tire projects.
Other federal and state agencies
that work on the border are poten-
tial funding sources. Participants
were encouraged to pursue these
additional funds.
The environmental coordinator for
tribal issues in Arizona, Mr. Tibaldo
Canez, provided a summary of tribal
concerns. Tribal lands straddle the
border, and the primary issue in this
region is inadequate water systems.
The Tohono O'odham Nation has 70
communities, only one of which is
a city, Sells. Of a total population of
20,000, most live in rural villages
while 3,000 live in Sells. Half of
the communities have adequate
water and sewer infrastructure, but
the others have severe problems.
Another major concern for tribes is
illegal immigration and drug smug-
gling. Up to 1500 undocumented
people are crossing tribal lands
every day. They leave 20 tons of
trash per week in the desert, and it
has been accumulating for the last
few years. In addition, the Border
Patrol's off-road vehicles have large
tires that tear up the soil.
The Cocopah Nation's concerns in
the Yuma-San Luis area include
open burning, especially in Mexico,
as well as pesticide use in the
agricultural areas around the city
of Yuma, unpaved roads, lack of
air monitoring, and a high level of
respiratory problems on the reser-
vations. Water supply and shared
aquifers are an important concern
for the Cocopah as well since they
depend on agriculture as their main
economic activity.
The meeting participants learned
about a new communication tool
from Ms. Kama Dean of the non-
governmental organization, Pro
Peninsula. This group has received
funding from EPA to develop an
-------
Summer 2004 3
electronic bulletin board for stream-
lined communications among mem-
bers of Border 2012 task forces
and the interested public. While the
bulletin board contains information
similar to EPA's Border 2012 Web
site, it was stressed that online dis-
cussions and various levels of secu-
rity facilitate more real-time interac-
tion among stakeholders. Anyone
interested in registering for access to
the bulletin board was encouraged
to do so during the meeting or at
their own convenience by logging on
to www.border2012.net.
Each of the five Arizona-Sonora
task forces gave updates on their
activities. The participants of some
of the task forces have worked
together for several years as part of
the previous U.S.-Mexico environ-
mental program, while others have
begun coming together just recent-
ly. Discussions focused on the
action plans for the coming year,
which are known as implementa-
tion plans under the Border 2012
program. The Implementation
Plans should be ready for review
by mid-summer (please refer to
EPA's web site). More informa-
tion for each task forceAmbos
Nogales Air Quality Improvement,
Chemical Preparedness and
Emergency Response, Children's
Environmental Health, Waste and
Enforcement, and Wateris pro-
vided under specific articles within
this newsletter.
Themes highlighted during the
question and answer sessions
included the importance of creat-
ing alliances with other agencies,
participation of local stakeholders,
and the need for a coordinated
environmental education strategy.
It was noted that the efforts of par-
ticipants in the Border 2012 pro-
gram would benefit from engaging
with agencies with other regulatory
responsibilities, such as economic
development, transportation and
immigration. At the federal level,
there are efforts to do just that
through EPA's role in the Federal
Regional Council and member-
ship of key Regional Workgroup
participants in the Good Neighbor
Environmental Board (GNEB).
There is great interest in develop-
ing a coordinated environmental
education strategy to support the
work of the task forces. This was
a continued theme from the first
meeting, with audience members
seeking a forum for participation.
The co-chairs of the Regional
Workgroup committed to fund two
scoping meetings to identify part-
nerships for this purpose. Meetings
will be announced once they are
scheduled.
During the closing comments,
the co-chairs thanked the audi-
ence for their participation. An
announcement was made that
the next meeting of the Regional
Workgroup would likely be sched-
uled for the fall of 2004 in
Sonora. Interested parties may
contact ADEQ or EPA for addi-
tional information on the Regional
Workgroup or any of the task
forces.
Public Involvement is Key in Border Region
By Barbara Maco
Transparency,
stakeholder
participation,
and community capacity are three
key guiding principles* of Border
2012. All coordinating bodies that
comprise the program are guided
by these principles.
Two current initiatives by stake-
holders are protocols for public
participation in the cleanup and
restoration of hazardous waste
sites at the binational level and
listening sessions in Arizona.
Binational guidance being drafted
by the Arizona-Sonora Waste
and Enforcement Task Force
will outline a process to clean
up and restore hazardous waste
sites along the border. As part
of this process, public participa-
tion objectives would (1) meet
all applicable binational require-
ments, and (2) promote the use
of site and remedy-appropriate
techniques for early and meaning-
ful public participation in cleanup
decisions. Additional information
on the work of this task force
can be found in a related article
within this newsletter.
In Arizona, EPA, ADEQ and com-
munity leaders are in the initial
planning stages for conducting
listening sessions in that state.
The purpose of the listening ses-
sions is to provide an opportunity
for external stakeholders, includ-
ing community and industry
members, to frame environmental
issues of concern and to work col-
laboratively to address priorities.
The listening sessions and public
participation opportunities further
enable interested stakeholders to
become active in the Border 2012
Program.
For another example on how
Border 2012 task forces are
developing ways to share infor-
mation, increase stakeholder
participation and strengthen the
community's ability to partici-
pate effectively in the program,
please see related articles on
the Children's Environmental
Health Task Force and Community
Member Spotlight.
"Border 2012 Framework Document, page 3
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4 ARIZONA-SONORA: Regional Workgroup Newsletter
Border People: Co-Chairs of the Arizona/Sonora Regional Workgroup
In this edition of the Arizona/Sonora Regional Workgroup Newsletter (Summer 2004) we are highlighting the work and perspective of two co-chairs
that administer the workgroup within Border 2012. This will give readers a personal look at two individuals that are working to solve environmental
challenges that border communities face in the Arizona/Sonora region. We plan to continue these profiles with stories on the other two Regional
Workgroup co-chairs as well as the members and leaders of the workgroup's task forces.
Laura Yoshii, Deputy Regional Administrator
(DRA), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Pacific Southwest Region. As the
DRA, Laura has responsibilities that cover
California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, the
Pacific Island Trusts Territories, Tribal lands,
and the U.S.-Mexico Border area. She is
EPA's national representative on the Good
Neighbor Environment Board. The board is
an independent federal advisory commit-
tee that advises the President and Congress of the United States on good
neighbor environmental practices along the U.S. border with Mexico. It
is managed by U.S. EPA under the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA). For more information, go to www.epa.gov/ocem.
Laura is also one of the four Co-Chairs of the Arizona/Sonora Regional
Workgroup. Within Border 2012, she has stressed the importance of three
principal themes of the program:
Adopting a Bottom-up Approach Identifying environmental priorities
and creating environmental solutions to environmental challenges must
come through partnerships with all sectors of society along the border.
Environmental Results- Creating projects that lead to solid improve-
ments in the environment and public health.
Leveraging of Resources - No agency can do it alone. The solutions to
environmental challenges are not only in the hands of the environmen-
tal agencies, but must be shared and combined with other entities to
support and expand the work being done in the border region.
Laura fully supports Border 2012 and hopes to continue to foster com-
munication with border stakeholders as well as to develop environmen-
tal indicators to measure progress toward a safer and healthier environ-
ment for this region.
Faustino Felix Escalante, Secretary, Sonora
Secretariat of Urban Infrastructure and
Ecology. Earlier, Mr. Felix Escalante was
Mayor of Cajeme, the second most impor-
tant municipality in Sonora. His interest
in sustainable development and solutions
for ecological problems led him to plan
and build two wastewater treatment plants
in that city during his administration.
During the last two years he was the Executive Vice President of the
Arizona-Sonora Commission, an organization with a long history of
international cooperation, where he promoted a work methodology that
motivated the Commission to carry out its work plan. He also supported
cooperation between the two border states advocating economic prog-
ress based on sustainable development. His other achievements within
the Arizona-Sonora Commission include regularization of the labor
force to solve the property tenancy problem in Puerto Penasco, and an
amendment to the Code of Law that creates the State Registry of Real
Estate Agents.
Recently named by the State Governor, Eduardo Bours Castelo, as
Secretary of Urban Infrastructure and Ecology, Mr. Felix Escalante
knows that it is within the obligations of the Secretariat to move for-
ward with construction of needed infrastructure while at the same
time recognizing the urgent necessity of preserving the environment.
This way, just as highways, development centers, hospitals, schools
and drinking water systems are built, sanitary landfills, oxidation
ponds, wastewater treatment plants and toxic waste disposal facili-
ties are also being constructed, to assure compliance with the current
environmental laws
These are the actions that Faustino Felix Escalante is promoting in the
border region within the Arizona/Sonara Regional Workgroup.
Community Member
Spotlight:
By Barbara Maco
Participation by local community
members in Border 2012 efforts is a
key element in accomplishing results.
Beginning with this newsletter, com-
munity members active in one or more
task forces in the Arizona-Sonora bor-
der region will receive recognition for
their involvement and support through
a spotlight article. The Arizona-Sonora
Regional Workgroup thanks all com-
munity members supporting local ini-
tiatives and welcomes suggestions for
future spotlight articles.
Teresa Leal
sits
on the
Arizona-Sonora Children's
Environmental Health Task
Force and brings a wealth
of local community knowl-
edge and experience to the
group. She is also a co-chair
of the coordinating council
for the Southwest Network of
Environmental and Economic
Justice and serves as coordi-
nator for a community organi-
zation in Nogales, AZ, known
as Comadres.
Comadres sponsors commu-
nity training, with women talk-
ing to each other, exchanging
information, and fostering par-
ent pride and confidence so
they can care for their families
and work for environmental
improvement. Being a mother
of eight children and grand-
mother to 10, Teresa views
her role as a bridge between
bureaucracies and families,
working with other mothers
at wellness centers and clin-
ics, not only in Nogales, but
in Sierra Vista and Southern
Tucson.
In addition to promoting more
community representation on
the task force, Teresa hopes
to bring the work of Border
2012 to the community at
events such as UNICEF Day
and a fall symposium on
environmental justice. She
believes that neither commu-
nity members nor government
"can afford to do it alone,"
but by working together they
can make progress in solv-
ing key health problems, "all
for the kids." Teresa can be
reached at (520) 331-2689
and Tleal@seriaz.org.
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Summer 2004 5
Tribal Update
By Tibaldo "Ty" Canez
THh^l ronrOOOIlt ^fiwOO 'n ^e Arizona-Sonora region continue their dialogue on environmental
lllUdl ICJJlCijCllUHlVCj issues through a tribal caucus that was created under Border 2012. The
mission of the caucus is to increase tribal participation in the decision-making process and provide input as
Border 2012 is carried out. Caucus representatives are planning to meet in early 2005 prior to the National
Coordinators' Meeting.
Because Tribal communities face many environmental challenges, two tribal communities in the region, Tohono
O'odham Nation and the Cocopah Tribe submitted three projects for funding in response to recent Requests for
Proposals. All of the proposals currently being considered for funding are designed to achieve measurable environ-
mental improvements in the border region.
Demonstration Project
to Address Solid Waste
left by Undocumented
Migrants
The great number of undocu-
mented migrants crossing the
Tohono O'odham Nation (Nation)
lands daily leave behind large
quantities of waste materials,
much of which is recyclable, i.e.
backpacks, blankets, clothing,
metal and plastic containers. The
Nation proposed and received
EPA funding ($50,000) to con-
duct a demonstration project to
find out if the amount of recycla-
ble and reusable material would
be sufficient to support a sus-
tainable business. This study will
analyze real data provided by two
separate waste removal actions at
different times, so that the aver-
age volume and types of waste
can be calculated. Potential sites
will be identified and a small
work force will be assembled to
clean up a few primary sites and
assist in a Waste Composition
Study. A report will provide an
analysis of resale and recycling
opportunities, labor availability,
training and safety needs and
transportations costs. The focus
will be on the long-term viability
of either a potential business
venture, or a potential tribal pro-
gram, or a combination of both.
Potable Water
Improvements for the
Mexico Tohono O'odham
Community of Quito Vac
The Tohono O'odham Nation has
submitted a proposal to EPA
to improve the potable water
facilities for the Mexico-Tohono
O'odham community of Quito Vac.
The community of Quito Vac is
located in northwestern Sonora,
approximately 20 miles south
of the Lukeville international
port of entry. The water sup-
ply for the village consists of
nine hand-dug shallow wells
for about 17 homes. The hand-
dug wells are in disrepair, all
of them allowing contamination
by flies, dust, insects and small
animals. Water sampling con-
ducted during November 2003
by the Tohono O'odham Nation
Water Resources Office, demon-
strated serious contamination by
coliform bacteria and inorganic
chemicals. The approximately
$72,000 proposal calls for
improving the water facilities by
drilling a small-diameter well,
and refurbishing an abandoned
storage and distribution system
which fell into disrepair several
years ago.
Cocopah Tribe Air
Quality Demonstration
Project
The Cocopah Tribe of Arizona,
located near Yuma, also sub-
mitted a Border 2012 funding
proposal to EPA for a $50,000
demonstration study on air quali-
ty improvements by altering agri-
cultural practices. The Cocopah
Tribe has extensive agricultural
operations on its lands, and its
members experience serious air
pollution problems due to the
heavily agricultural nature of
the entire region, including the
Mexican side of the border. The
Cocopah Tribe proposal calls
for a study of farmland plowing
methods to determine which
methods generate the least dust
and therefore could contribute
to improving air quality in the
region.
For more information on tribal
issues in the Arizona-Sonora
region, please contact Ty
Canez at 602-565-2752 or
tycanez@msn.com
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6 ARIZONA-SONORA: Regional Workgroup Newsletter
Arizona-Sonora Regional Task Forces Update
Children's Environmental Health Task Force Holds Meetings
By Norman Ca/ero
The Arizona-Sonora Children's
Environmental Health Task Force's
mission is to protect and promote
the environmental health of chil-
dren in the Arizona/Sonora border
region as part of the U.S.-Mexico
Border 2012 Program. The Task
Force seeks to reduce children's
health risks from air pollution,
drinking water contaminants, pes-
ticides and other toxic chemical
exposures. This binational Task
Force has members from local and
state health, environmental, and
education agencies in the U.S.
and Mexico, community health
providers, university researchers
and others from community orga-
nizations in the region.
The Task Force is currently
studying the Good Neighbor
Environmental Board's recently
released report Children's
Environmental Health: Spotlight
on the U.S.-Mexico Border, and
will focus many of its efforts
in the next year on two spe-
cific recommendations: educa-
tion and actions for children.
Environmental threats to children
can be reduced by institutional-
izing a bilingual environmental
health program throughout bor-
der region school systems and
community groups. The Task
Force has applied for a Border
2012 grant to provide a founda-
tion for these efforts and will
also focus on ways to develop
and support environmental
health projects that especially
benefit children.
The Task Force welcomes the
participation of community
groups and individuals interested
in improving children's environ-
mental health along the border.
Community support and involve-
ment is critical to the success
of the Task Force. Many Task
Force members attended the
first Southern Arizona Children's
Environmental Health Forum on
Friday, April 23, 2004 in Tucson,
Arizona. This forum was spon-
sored by the Arizona Department
of Environmental Quality's
Children's Environmental Health
Project. The Project is directed
by Alice S. Wallwork, ADEQ
Special Assistant for Children's
Environmental Health.
The last Children's Environmental
Health Task Force meeting
was held on May 20. 2004 in
Nogales, Sonora. To learn more
about this Task Force or become
an active participant, please
contact either of the co-chairs:
Edith Frias Bustos of SEMARNAT
in Sonora at 662-259-27-21 or
Alice S. Wallwork of ADEQ at
602-771-2231.
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Summer 2004 7
Ambos Nogales Air Quality Improvement Task Force
By Yvonne W. Fong
me AmDos Nogales Air uuaiity
Improvement Task Force con-
tinues to meet jointly with the
Border Liaison Mechanism
Economic and Social
Development Subgroup since
its designation by the Arizona-
Sonora Regional Workgroup in
June 2003. The Task Force
meets every three months and is
currently focusing its efforts on
evaluating the feasibility of proj-
ects to improve the air quality
in Ambos Nogales, and moving
ahead with feasible projects.
The Task Force is currently
working on a Plan of Action to
Improve Air Quality in Ambos
Nogales. This report will describe
the twelve recommended actions
the Task Force has identified as
necessary to reduce particulate
matter, the area's largest air
pollution concern, mese recom-
mended actions include measures
to control dust and other particu-
lates from unpaved roads and
parking lots, vehicles, soil erosion,
and residential wood and garbage
burning. Agencies from the US
and Mexico have been identified
to develop action plans which
would include projects to achieve
the twelve recommended actions.
As of their last meeting on March
24, 2004, six action plans to
measure emissions reductions,
implementation, and project prog-
ress have been developed by the
Task Force members. The Task
Force has also agreed to formally
endorse project proposals through
a letter jointly issued by the co-
chairs. This will help ensure that
projects are recognized as being
supported by the Task Force when
considered for funding.
me next AmDos Nogales Air
Quality Task Force meeting will
be held on June 23, 2004.
Additional draft action plans
and progress on existing action
plans will be presented. For more
information or to have your name
added to the mailing for meet-
ing notices, in the U.S. please
contact Michele Kimpel Guzman
of the Arizona Department
of Environmental Quality, at
(520) 628-6717 or (888) 271-
9302 (toll free in the US) or
kimpelguzman.michele@ev.
state.az.us. In Sonora, please
contact Angel Lopez Guzman,
Sonora Secretariat of Urban
Infrastructure and Ecology,
at 52-662-213-1966 or
arkilopez@yahoo.com.mx
Water Task Force
By Eugenia McNaughton
The first public meeting of the
Border 2012 Sonora/Arizona
Water Task Force convened on
Monday, March 29, 2004 at
the Comision de Agua Potable
y Alcantarillado del Estado de
Sonora (COAPAES) office in
Nogales, Sonora. Representatives
from the Comision Nacional
del Agua (CNA) in Hermosillo,
the Comision Estatal del Agua
(CEA), COAPAES, the Arizona
Department of Water Resources
(ADWR), the Arizona Department
of Environmental Quality (ADEQ),
state and federal water agencies
were joined by representatives
of Tohono O'odham, University
of Arizona, and International
Boundary Water Comission and,
by phone, Border Ecology Project
in a discussion of common con-
cerns about water quality and
quantity in the region. The water
agencies have been meeting
since August 2003, developing a
way to work together across state,
national and tribal boundaries.
The Water Task Force agreed
that its primary function is to
be a strong communication
link between agencies for the
exchange of information. The
Border 2012 water goals and
objectives define the range of
projects that can be brought to
the Task Force for EPA funding
consideration. However, given the
fact that both CNA and ADWR
have responsibility for water
quantity issues, the Water Task
Force has widened its area of
discussion to include both quality
and quantity.
The Border 2012 Water Task
Force plans to hold public meet-
ings throughout the Arizona/
Sonora border area in the coming
months. The proposed schedule
is as follows:
Friday, June 25 in Agua Prieta,
SON (COAPAES)
Friday, July 23 in Sells, AZ
(location to be determined)
Watch for meeting announce-
ments on the BECCnet, www.
cocef.org, and the US EPA
Border 2012 Web site, http://
www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/
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8 ARIZONA-SONORA: Regional Workgroup Newsletter
Arizona-Sonora Waste And Enforcement Task Force
By Edna Mendoza
The long history of the Waste
and Enforcement Task Force
(WETF) has facilitated moving
projects from concept to imple-
mentation. The WETF supports
specific focus areas within the
Border 2012 program - Goal
3, to reduce land contamina-
tion associated with hazardous
and solid waste, and Goal 6,
to strengthen compliance and
enforcement, and promotion of
voluntary/self audit programs.
Projects identified by the task
force as priorities are those that
reinforce these goals.
A priority project under Goal 3
includes a $50,000 grant to
the Tohono O'odham Nation to
conduct an assessment of open
dumping and the accumulation
of trash caused by the volume
of people illegally crossing the
border and moving through tribal
lands. The emphasis of the proj-
ect is to identify and develop
long-term solutions (also see
article on page 5). Additionally,
the borderwide Waste Policy
Forum plans to hold a meeting
on how to encourage waste infra-
structure development. The infor-
mation from this meeting will be
used to develop an action plan.
SEMARNAT has already indicated
that they would like to see several
hazardous waste disposal facili-
ties developed. The WETF's role
in this borderwide process is to
identify regional priorities for the
Arizona-Sonora region, which now
include solvent recycling and dis-
posal facilities for tires, used oil
and solid and hazardous wastes.
The task force has also initiated
two key projects that focus on Goal
6. One is to build upon existing
partnerships with industry and
implement a training program for
small- to medium-sized maquilado-
ras on developing an environmental
management system (EMS). The
emphasis of the project is to pro-
vide the technical support needed
to develop an EMS. This is usually
beyond the financial resources of
the target groups, including local
municipal governments. The proj-
ect will offer mentoring support
as active participants work toward
full implementation. Another
effort to support this goal is a col-
laborative project with U.S. and
Mexican Customs that addresses
how to sample potentially hazard-
ous substances at the border ports
to satisfy the enforcement needs
of both countries. While samples
can be independently collected
by either U.S. or Mexican officials
in their own territory, the cross-
border transfer of hazardous waste
highlights the need to establish
procedures and protocol for
physical evidence collection during
binational compliance exercises.
Both projects are expected to be in
progress by summer 2004.
Pending projects that the task
force wants to move forward
include the cleanup of a waste
tire site and the revitalization
of contaminated sites that have
been abandoned. Funds are
available for demonstration proj-
ects to identify potential alterna-
tives and resources to address
the accumulation of waste tires.
Many reuse possibilities exist for
the tire problem, but the infra-
structure is costly. Solutions will
depend on local resources, and
community members that are
willing to take lead roles in these
projects. The task force is also
participating in the development
of a binational policy to encour-
age redevelopment, and address
liability issues that may be
impeding the use of these sites.
The WETF has not tradition-
ally held its meetings in an
open forum due to the enforce-
ment nature of discussions.
Recognizing the value that stake-
holder involvement and support
has on accomplishing priorities,
public sessions will now be incor-
porated into task force meetings.
Anyone interested in attend-
ing the meeting or becoming
involved in the projects described
above may contact Ed Ranger
or Edna Mendoza of the Arizona
Department of Environmental
Quality at 520-628-6733, or
Emily Pimentel of the U.S. EPA
at 415-972-3326 in the U.S. In
Sonora, interested parties may
contact Ing. Francisco Maytorena
of the Procuraduria Federal
de Proteccion al Ambiente,
Delegacion Sonora at 652-217-
54-53.
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Summer 2004 9
Sharing Resources:
U.S./Mexico Border Emergency Response Equipment
and Assistance Program: www.E-REAP.org
By Lauren Volpini
Emergency Response Equipment and Assistance Program
The II.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2211
a program to facilitate the donation of used and surplus emergency response
equipment and other resources in the Arizona/Sonora and California/Baja
California border area. This project meets the Goal #5 of the Border 2012
Program to reduce border communities' exposure to chemical substances as
the result of accidental releases and/or acts of terrorism by improving the
preparedness of first responders on both sides of the border.
A Pressing Need
Many border communities do
not have adequate personal pro-
tection or emergency response
equipment to protect the public
health and the environment from
accidental or deliberate releases
of hazardous materials. A major
problem is that the equipment
that many border communities
possess is often outdated or in
disrepair. Funding shortages
make it difficult for first respond-
ers to obtain training that would
improve their ability to handle
a wider range of emergencies,
beyond the most basic. Yet bor-
der cities are the most vulnerable
to releases, given the high con-
centration of cross-border manu-
facturing operations found there
as well as the constant trans-
portation of hazardous materials
through their communities.
While border communities
struggle to operate with scarce
resources, many larger com-
munities throughout California,
Arizona and other states regularly
dispose of used but perfectly
serviceable equipment when
they purchase newer models.
Manufacturers, distributors or
retailers may have an overstock
of brand new computers, office
supplies or furniture, or may just
want to help first responders
in need. Trainers of emergency
response or hazardous materi-
als management courses may
have extra seats in their classes
because of cancellations, or
because the room is big enough
to hold more than have regis-
tered. Surplus equipment is
often available from sources such
as the military, federal and state
agencies, businesses, cleanup
contracting firms, and manu-
facturers; this program seeks to
identify these potential donors
and pair them with those who
need the resources.
Examples of the kinds of
equipment, training and other
resources that could be provided
through this program are:
Vehicles - Fire engines, trail-
ers, tankers, ambulances, cars,
trucks, boats, helicopters, air-
planes, bulldozers
Emergency response equipment
- Hoses, ladders, radios, rap-
pelling gear, jaws of life, extin-
guishers, firefighting foams,
hand tools, spill pads, com-
puters, office furniture, office
supplies
Personal protective equipment
- Chemical suits, chemical
test kits, uniforms, boots, hard
hats, respirators, decontamina-
tion gear, tents, first aid kits
Training - Emergency medi-
cal, hazardous materials, fire
prevention, incident command,
confined space entry, counter-
terrorism, preparedness, traffic
control, community relations,
media relations, evacuation,
emergency management, exer-
cise design.
The Program
A web-based system has been
developed to match donations of
equipment and other resources
with communities that can use
them. The website is e-reap.org.
The primary recipients for this
program will be the emergency
responders in the Arizona/Sonora
and California/Baja California
area. The program will include
promotion and outreach to poten-
tial donors in Mexico, California
and Arizona, such as larger fire
departments, industry, military,
manufacturers, business orga-
nizations, professional associa-
tions, and private sector emer-
gency response departments.
In addition to helping border
communities, donors may receive
an added benefit: contributions
to U.S. state, local, tribal agen-
cies, nonprofit organizations and
some Mexican charities can be
tax deductible. If the recipient
does not meet the criteria for tax
deductibility, the E-REAP project
manager will help the donor find
an eligible charitable organiza-
tion through which the donation
can be made.
The website operates in a sim-
ple, user-friendly way. Donors are
able to post information about
the available items or services
including pictures, on a website
that operates like a message
board. The E_REAP project man-
ager will screen postings, contact
the poster for any additional
information that may be needed
and help identify potential recipi-
ents. On the website, potential
recipients are able to search for
and browse available offerings.
If a potential recipient is inter-
ested in a particular item, they
are able to send a message to
the donor to inquire further and
arrange for delivery.
Emergency response agencies
also are able to post a descrip-
tion of needed items or services.
Potential donors are able to
search for and browse these
requests for assistance to iden-
tify those that they are able to
support. The website is hosted
by a well-known and proven mes-
sage board system. The program
is now operational.
The key to the ultimate success,
longevity and transferability of
the E-REAP project will be its
ability to establish a system that
is independently sustainable,
based on ongoing contributions
and sponsorships.
What You Can Do
Please visit our web site at
www.e-reap.org.
Review your emergency
response equipment inventory.
Identify surplus items.
When you update equipment in
the future, consider donating
replaced items to this program.
Volunteer your time, funding,
training or expertise to help
make this program a success.
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10ARIZONA-SONORA: Regional Workgroup Newsletter
Arizona/Sonora Regional Workgroup Co-Chairs
Laura Yoshii
Deputy Regional Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region IX
Stephen A. Owens
Director
Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality
Ing. Florencio Dfaz Armenta
Delegate
Sonora Secretariat for Environment and
Natural Resources
Humberto D. Valdes Ruy Sanchez
Secretary
Sonora Secretariat of Urban
Infrastructure and Ecology
Task Force Co-Chairs
U. S. Co-Chair and Organization I Phone Numbers & E-mail
Mexico Co-Chair and Organization I Phone Numbers & E-mail
Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response
Diane Carper
Cochise County Health Dept.
520-432-9472
dcarper@co.cochise.az. us
Wilebaldo Alatriste
Proteccion Civil del Estado de Sonora
662-217-5410 or 30
locatelsonora@prodigy.net.mx
Water
James "Jim" Holway
Arizona Dept. of Water Resources
602-417-2440
jmholway@adwr.state.az.us
Roberto Fernando Salmon Castelo
National Water Commission
52-662-213-0361
rsalmon@grno.cna.gob. mx
Children's Environmental Health
Alice S. Wallwork
ADEQ
602-771-2231
wallwork.alice@ev.state.az.us
Elitla Edith Frfas Bustos
SEMARNAT
52-662-259-2721 or 18
impacto@sonora.semarnat.gob.mx
Waste and Enforcement
Emily Pimentel
US EPA
John Rothman
US EPA
Edward M. Ranger
ADEQ
Edna Mendoza
ADEQ
415-972-3326
pimentel.emily@epa.gov
415-972-3923
Rothman.john@epa.gov
602-771-4477
ranger.edward@ev.state.az.us
520-628-6710
mendoza .ed na@ev.state.az. us
Ernesto Munro Palacio
PROFEPA
Ramon Castrejon Lemus
SIUE
52-662-217-5459
delegado_son@correo.profepa.gob.mx
52-662-213-1966
racastrejon@hotmail.com
Ambos Nogales Air Quality
Placido Dos Santos (Ambos Nogales)
ADEQ
Michele Kimpel Guzman
ADEQ
520-628-6744
dossantos.placido@ev.state.az.us
520-628-6717
kimpelguzman.michele@ev.state.az.us
Angel Lopez Guzman
Sonora Secretariat of Urban
Infrastructure and Ecology
52-662-213-1966
arkilopez@yahoo.com.mx
Other Contacts
Tomas Torres
EPA Border Program Coordinator
torres.tomas@epa.gov
619-235-4775
Lorena Lopez-Powers
Arizona-Sonora Regional Workgroup
Coordinator
lopez-powers.lorena@epa.gov
619-235-4768
Placido Dos Santos
Border Environmental Manager
dossantos.placido@ev.state.az.us
520-628-6744
Tibaldo "Ty" Canez
Arizona Border Tribal Coordinator
tycanez@msn.com
480-820-1426
602-565-2752 (eel.)
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