Border 2012 Program Fact Sheet
What is Border 2012?
The U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program, Border 2012, is a government-sponsored
program whose purpose is to improve environmental conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border.
What is Border 2012 doing?
Monitoring air quality, eliminating piles of tires that have been carelessly discarded, building
sewage collection systems and treatment plants, addressing children's environmental health
problems (asthma), developing quick responses to emergencies such as hazardous chemical spills,
tracking hazardous waste crossing the border, and other projects.
Where is the Program?
Border 2012 operates in the four U.S. Border States and the six Mexican Border States. In the
U.S., it covers Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. In Mexico, it covers Tamaulipas,
Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja California. Most projects are located within
60 miles (100 km) of the border. You can find them in large cities like El Paso, Texas and
Tijuana, Baja California, as well as small towns like Las Cruces, New Mexico and San Luis Rio
Colorado, Sonora.
Who is participating?
Border 2012 depends on cooperation from many partners. Federal governments, all ten Border
States, tribes, and many community groups are involved. Chambers of Commerce, universities,
environmental groups, public health groups, and local government officials also are participating.
Most of the ideas for projects come from the communities themselves.
Will Border 2012 make a difference?
Border 2012 projects have been designed with strong community input. They have specific goals
with measurable outcomes. The information will be publicly available, and government officials
coordinating the program will be held accountable for achieving the outcomes.
Where can I get more information?
A good place to start is the Border 2012 website, at http://www.epa.gov/border2012/ (in Spanish,
www.semarnat.gob.mx/UCAI/frontera2012/). Or, you can call the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Region 6 office in Texas (Gina Weber: 214-665-8188), the Region 9 office in
California (Tomas Torres: 619-235-4775), or the Washington DC office (Lisa Almodovar: 202
564-6401) for more details.
How can I get involved?
The best way to get involved is to attend an upcoming Border 2012 work group or task force
meeting in your area or contact a Border 2012 task force co-chair. Contact details and meeting
dates are available on the web site or from the EPA regional offices.
See Overview for more information
------- |