July 2007
San Diego/Tijuana
I Air Quality Task Force
Border 2012: U. S.-Mexico Environmental Program
The San Diego/Tijuana Air Quality Task Force was created under the U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 Environmental
Program to assist in the implementation of bi-national environmental projects that are aligned with the Border
2012 program's mission: "To protect the environment and public health in the U.S. Mexico border region,
consistent with the principles of sustainable development".
^~ ~ ~ ~~^
One of the goals of Border 2012 is to reduce air pollution in the border
region by identifying the major sources of air pollution and define strategies
to reduce emissions and human exposure to those emissions. To meet this
goal, the task force has identified three top priority areas for projects for
the San Diego-Tijuana region: (1) projects that reduce air pollution, (2)
projects that enhance the science of air
pollution, and (3) projects that promote
outreach and public involvement in air
quality issues.
In collaboration with local stake-holders,
the task force identifies and prioritizes
air quality issues that affect communities in the San Diego/Tijuana border
region.
The Task Force serves as a public forum for the discussion of binational air
quality issues in the San Diego/Tijuana border region and to provide input to
the agencies responsible for public health and air quality. To learn more about
Border 2012, please visit the website, http://www.epa.gov/border2012
Stakeholders
Our Mission
To promote the sharing of information
by task force participants on issues
and priorities concerning bi-national
air quality in the San Diego/Tijuana
air shed and provide input to federal,
tribal, state and local authorities
regarding projects that address these
issues.
BINATIONAL MEETINGS
The San Diego/Tijuana Air Quality Task Force holds quarterly meetings, usually on the second Wednesday of
January, April, July and October. The meeting location alternates each time between San Diego and Tijuana and
meeting announcements are posted 45 days in advance through the BECCNet and the Task Force's mailing list,
composed of previous meeting attendees. (Please subscribe to the BECCNet to automatically receive announce-
ments at http://udallcenter.arizona.edu/programs/usmex/beccnet/index.html.)
The meetings are open to the public and simultaneous translation (English/Spanish) is always provided. Typically
the meetings are attended by federal and state agencies, tribes, NGOs, academia and the general public.
The meetings consist of informative presentations on binational air quality topics by local experts and
guests, meeting announcements, updates on local and national air quality projects and a public comment period.
CO-CHAIRS
Co-chairs are selected, generally by consensus, by the task force participants. The task force currently has three
co-chairs, as listed below.
United States
Fernando Amador
California Air Resources Board
famador@arb.ca.gov
Mexico
Israel Flores
Secretarfa de Proteccion Ambiental
ifloresr(5)baia.gob.mx
U.S. Tribes
Paula Stigler
Pala Band of Mission Indians
pstigler(8jpal atribe.com
-------
BORDER PROJECTS
The task force is charged with relevant air quality projects related to the San Diego-Tijuana border region. Some
of the projects currently in progress are listed below. Projects to date have been funded by the states of Baja
California and California and the two federal governments. The task force also plays a role in identifying high
priority projects for future funding.
Projects
San Diego/Tijuana Clean
Diesel Demonstration
Project
Baja California Real-Time
Air Quality Website
Environmental Brick Kiln
Project
Air Monitoring Network
Transfer to Baja California
Baja Air Quality
Monitoring Network
Objectives
To demonstrate the viability of diesel
emission control retrofits on heavy-duty
diesel trucks operating in the San Diego/
Tijuana border region.
To maintain the operation of the Baja
California Air Quality webpage on the
SPA website and provide air quality data
to the public in real-time.
To characterize and reduce air emissions
from brick kilns in the rural communities
of Baja California and provide training for
kiln operators.
To transfer the Air Monitoring Network
located in the cities of Mexicali, Tijuana,
Tecate and Rosarito to the State of Baja
California. This network was funded by
EPA and operated by CARB since 1995.
To operate and maintain the air quality
monitoring network in northern Baja
California.
Results
To retrofit at least 50 Mexico-based,
transborder heavy-duty diesel trucks
with Diesel Oxidation Catalysts and
Crankcase Filtration Systems (To be
completed by September 30, 2007).
The Baja Air Quality webpage has been
in operation since October 2005. SPA
has the responsibility to maintain the
quality of the information on the
webpage, which is located at
http://aire.bajacalifornia.gob.mx
To replace four operating brick kilns in
Baja California with four environmental
brick kilns, which are designed to be
more efficient than traditional kilns in
reducing air emissions, in order to
improve public health in the rural
communities of Baja California.
The network was transferred to the
State of Baja California by agreements
between SEMARNAT, INE, SPA, EPA
and Cal-EPA on March 15, 2007.
Provide daily air quality data information
in order to make sound decisions about
air quality strategies.
RESOURCES AND LINKS
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/border2012
Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales
http://www.semarnat.gob.mx
California Air Resources Board
http://www.arb.ca.gov
Secretaria de Protection al Ambiente—B.C.
http://www.bajacalifornia.gob.mx/ecologia/
San Diego Air Quality
http://www.sdapcd.org/air/maps/todav.html
Tijuana Air Quality
http://aire.bajacalifornia.gob.mx/index.cfm
Native American Environmental Protection Coalition
http://www.naepc.com
Sacjalana rio Fratocclan
Al Ambit-rile
SEMARNAT
..LLML
California Environmental Prateciion Agency
©«Air Resources Board
------- |