Protecting the Environment
and Public Health
opER 20


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Overcoming Binational Environmental Challenges
rhe U.S.-Mexico border
region is home to over
15 million people who
share natural resources,
watersheds, and air basins
that transcend political
boundaries. Binational
pollution impacts both
sides of the border and
necessitates a coordinated
response. To improve and protect the environment and public health, the La Paz Agreement
was signed by the Governments of Mexico and the United States in 1983, thus providing the
foundation for cooperative efforts to address the complex and intertwined environmental issues
along the US.-Mexico border.
REUNION DE COORDINADORES NACIONALES
NATIONAL COORDINATORS MEETING
ipittua, BUJ* 9 de agostde 2012
Opening ceremony of the Border2020 Program in Tijuana, Baja California, on August 8th, 2012
TIMELINE
Building from the La Paz Agreement, the
United States Environmental Protection
Agency (U.S. EPA) and Mexico's
Secretariat of the Environment and
Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) have
implemented four successive binatioml
programs to meet emerging environmental
challenges in this dynamic region. Along
the entire border, key stakeholders such
as the 10 states, 26federally recognized
tribes and local partners have provided
leadership and additional funding
to implement projects that advance
environmental protection and public
health improvements while the population
and economic activity have increased.
1983
The Basis for Binational
Cooperation — La Paz Agreement
Recognizing the
need to cooperate
binationally on
environmental
and public health
challenges in the
border region, the President Reagan of the U.S.
^	r .	and President de la Madrid
Governments or the 0f Mexico sign the La Paz
United States and	Agreement
Mexico signed the Agreement on Cooperation
for the Protection and Improvement of the
Environment in the Border Area (the La
Paz Agreement), in the city of La Paz, Baja
California Sur, Mexico, in 1983-
1992
integrated Border
Environmental Plan (IBEP)
The first binational border program,
IBEP, focused on enhanced environmental
regulation and resulted in significant
investments in infrastructure along the
border. Although the binational environment
improved, many projects were implemented
at a federal scale, and the Program recognized
the need to address environmental and
health concerns on the border with additional
local stakeholder involvement.
A Diverse U.S.-Mexico Border Region
^Colorado
New ^ River
River f
United States
Gulf of
California
Mexico
Rio Grande ^ ^
LEGEND
Transboundary watersheds
Border 2020 priority watersheds' ¦
U.S.states	¦
Rivers and flow direction
U.S.-Mexico border
Border Region2
Mexico states
Map made by the Border Environment Cooperative Commission (BECC)
Gulf of
Mexico
200
•	15 million + people
borderwide
•	26 federally recognized
U.S. tribes
•	6 national parks
•	4 high priority river basins
•	40+ U.S. counties and
80 MX municipalities
•	4 transboundary rivers
into the U.S.
•	2,000 mile shared border
1.	Map shows subwatersheds delineated at the Hydrologic Unit Code 8 level.
2.	Boundary set forth by La Paz Agreement (62 miles from border).
1996
2003
2012
Border XXI
Border XXI
established
a five-year
bilateral effort
which included



Local emergency response
sister-cities were developed
additional federal partners to achieve its
goals, engaged the 10 border states and U.S.
tribes, and included over 40 public meetings
to solicit input and identify local priorities.
Border XXI established nine borderwide
workgroups to address transboundary
environmental issues. While the workgoups
implemented many pilot projects benefitting
communities, the Program objectives
remained broad in nature.
Border 2012
The Border
2012 Program
set an ambitious
ten-year plan
that included
specific and
measurable
environmental
goals and objectives developed through
public input. The Program took a bottom-up
approach that continued engagement of state,
tribal and local communities and operated
through four new regional workgroups and
numerous local taskforces to implement
stakeholder-led projects.
Partnership with U.S. tribes and
the Necua Indigenous Community
in Mexico on waste management
Improving water
infrastructure in the
Tijuana-San Diego region
Border 2020
Border 2020
continues a bottom-
up approach and
tackles emerging
environmental issues.
Program goals were
established binationally and seek to improve
air and water quality, reduce waste, strengthen
emergency preparation and response, promote
environmental stewardship and address
environmental health. These goals directly
align with U.S. EPA's core programs, local
priorities, and the original mandate from the
La Paz Agreement to address the complex and
on-going regional environmental challenges.

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Protecting Communities Borderwide
Improving the Air We Share
Many U.S.-Mexico
border cities share
binational air basins, where
pollutants such as particulate
matter (PM10, PM25) and
ozone and its precursors
(NOx and VOC) travel
across borders. Exposure
to these pollutants can
affect our hearts and lungs,
triggering a variety of health
problems, particularly to
vulnerable populations
with asthma. For example,
in California, ozone is
problematic in San Diego
County, while both ozone
and PM are concerns in the
Imperial Valley. In El Paso,
Texas, key challenges include
PM, carbon monoxide
and ozone.
Air quality monitoring inspection
in San Diego-Tijuana border region
In response, local binational task forces formed to coordinate and implement
solutions such as improving and/or expanding monitoring networks,
increasing data availability, and expanding public outreach. Meanwhile states
on both sides of the border have identified mitigation strategies in air quality
improvement plans (State Implementation Plans in the U.S. and ProAire
in Mexico).
The border region has reduced emissions at ports of entry by reducing wait
times for idling vehicles. In addition, paving dusty roads and improving
urban transport borderwide have resulted in the elimination of 170,000 tons
per year of PMI0. Air monitoring from 2006-2014 identified a decline in
ozone exceedances in the San Diego and Imperial Valley air basins and PM
exceedances in the El Paso air basin.
Groundbreaking ceremony of water system improvements in Anthony, New Mexico
Enhancing Water Quality
The U.S.-Mexico border region shares numerous transboundary
watersheds, with many rivers flowing from Mexico into the U.S., or even
forming the border itself in some cases. Four have been identified as high-
priority. Outdated infrastructure and extreme weather events can result in
contaminated stormwater and sewage overflows entering the transboundary
waterways and exposing communities living and/or working in or nearby
the watersheds to contaminated water. The Border Programs have worked
to address these environmental health challenges for over 20 years.
Since 1997, the Border Water Infrastructure Program (BWIP) and binational
program partners have supported the construction and/or expansion of
infrastructure projects that are eliminating over 350 million gallons a day
(mgd) of untreated or inadequately treated sewage discharges.
The Border Program also carries out trash cleanup and waste reduction efforts
to address illegal dumping that contaminates transboundary waterways, the
Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. To protect existing infrastructure, the
Program partners with local businesses in Texas, Arizona and Tamaulipas
to properly dispose of Fats, Oils and Grease (FOGs). Green infrastructure
projects and trainings in Ambos Nogales have reduced impacts from
stormwater runoff into the Nogales Wash and the Santa Cruz River in
Arizona. In addition, more than 1,000 community members and municipal
staff in southern New Mexico and west Texas received training on the health
threats posed by improperly maintained septic tanks.
Household hazardous waste collection event in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Promoting Clean Land
When waste materials are improperly disposed of they can negatively
impact our lands, transboundary watersheds and oceans and
create habitat for disease-bearing vectors such as mosquitoes. As the
population has grown in border communities, increased amounts of
plastics, electronics, tires and other materials have overburdened the
waste management infrastructure and services.
The Border Programs have improved collaboration among binational
stakeholders to reduce waste through: 1) mitigating the impacts of plastic,
tires, and other waste through cleanups and educational outreach and
community actions; 2) reducing waste and increasing recovery and reuse
of plastic, e-waste, tires, and other materials; and 3) building technical
capacity among diverse stakeholders to adopt sustainable materials
management practices.
Since 2005, communities in the U.S.-Mexico border region have carried
out projects to properly dispose: over 8 million scrap tires, nearly 60,000
tons of household hazardous waste, and 264 tons of electronic waste.
Strengthening Emergency
Response Capability
Binational emergency preparedness and response coordination is critical
in the border region, because toxic smoke, contaminated water and
other impacts from disasters and incidents pay no heed to local, state or
international boundaries. Emergency preparedness efforts — training,
exercises, equipment — have been tested in real-life emergencies and led to
a more efficient coordinated response along the U.S.-Mexico border. Joint
Response Teams (JRT) support these efforts and ensure timely binational
reporting of incidents.
Since 2013, through the Border Program, more than 10,500 responders
have received capacity trainings from over 140 training courses and over
25 binational exercises and 200 drill notifications between the U.S. and
Mexico. These actions and resources have made the border region safer
for residents, first responders and the environment.
Fostering Environmental Stewardship
Improperly managing hazardous materials can pose
transboundary environmental health issues. Challenges
such as illegal or improper crossing of hazardous wastes
and material at the U.S.-Mexico ports of entry and the
lack of community information on pollutant sources has
called for improved enforcement efforts, compliance
assistance and environmental stewardship.
Through Border Program efforts, environmental
inspectors are now present at ports of entry and
information is exchanged between Program partners
on transboundary compliance at binational workshops.
Border communities are also benefitting from improved
transparency of U.S. and Mexican pollutant discharge
data (i.e. the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory [TRI] and
the Mexican Registry of Emissions and Transfer of
Contaminants [RETC]) reports. In addition, a binational
public-private partnership led to enhanced environmental
stewardship, through Environmental Management System
(EMS) trainings for over 30 small and medium-sized
companies in border communities.
Conducting truck stop inspection in
Calexico, CA. Photo/Jessica Rodriguez

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Partnering Binationally to Achieve Environmental Results
\
y
Tangible	improvements	along the entire 2000-mile	b
CALIFORNIA
ARIZONA
IMPACT: Binational Collection of Oil and Grease for Biodiesel
Through the Ambos Nogaies Biodiesel Capacity Building Program, oil and
grease collected from local restaurants is transformed into biodiesel fuel
used for emergency response vehicles. This Program has the dual benefit
of 1) preventing the oil and grease from negatively impacting the sewer
system and 2) creating an alternative fuel.
Key Accomplishments:
•	1,200-1,500 gallons of biodiesel produced annually since original
2009 pilot project.
•	Reduced grease blockages in sewer systems.
•	Increased local usage of biodiesel for fire department vehicles.
1


BEFORE: Fat and bread crumbs
left behind from filtering oil
AFTER: Refueling cars with biodiesel
converted from grease and oils
IMPACT: improving Air Quality in the Paso del Norte Region
The Joint Advisory Committee was
formed in 1996 and works to improve
air quality through binational
collaboration.
Key Accomplishments:
•	Introducing cleaner fuel (oxygenated
gasoline) in Mexico.
•	Dedicating commuter lanes at border
crossings to reduce emissions and
wait times.
View of El Paso-Ciudad Juarez airshed
Strengthening vehicle inspection in Ciudad
Juarez with an average of 200,000
inspections completed annually.
Pacific
Ocean
IMPACT: 900+ Participate in Binational Symposia to Improve Environmental Health
From 2015-17 Border 2020 and EPA's Children's Health Offices convened four
children's environmental health and two vector-borne disease symposia. Topics
included: indoor air quality, asthma, lead, mosquito-borne illness, children's health
and prenatal exposures among others.
Key Accomplishments:
•	566+ attended the children's health symposia in El Paso and Brownsville, Texas,
and San Diego, California.
•	360+ attended two vector-borne disease prevention symposia in Mexicali. Baja
California, and Nogaies, Sonora.
•	Participants at symposia included healthcare experts from the U.S. and Mexico,
public health practitioners, community health workers or promotores, educators,
medical students, faculty, government agencies and the public.
NEW MEXICO
BAJA
CALIFORNIA
IMPACT: Improving the Air We Share
Federal, state, and local agencies collaborate
to measure air quality at border crossings and
inform neighboring communities. Outreach
campaigns target sources of pollution to
mitigate health impacts.
Key Accomplishments:
•	Monitor installed at San Ysidro, busiest land
port of entry in Western Hemisphere, in
January 2015.
•	Bilingual television and radio campaign
targeting fireworks and open burning in
Imperial-Mexicali region launched in 2010.
•	Mexicali announced ban on sale of fireworks in
December 2016.
Roof-top equipment monitors PMZS levels as traffic
backs up at San Ysidro Port of Entry
LEGEND
U.S.-Mexico border
Border Region: Boundary
set forth by La Paz Agreement
(62 miles from border)
U.S.states
Mexico states
Project locations
Gulf Of
California
TEXAS
SONORA
Sfuc/enfs sign pledge poster to manage vector-borne diseases from mosquitoes using integrated pest management
IMPACT: Enhancing our Water
Through a Border 2012-funded monitoring
program, high levels of nutrients discharged
through the Las Arenitas Wastewater Treatment
Plant in southern Mexicali were determined to
be causing algal blooms in the Rio Hardy. Funds
from the Program were used to design a 97
hectare artificial wetland system, which was
later constructed with funds from Mexico.
Key Accomplishments:
•	15 million gallons per day of untreated
wastewater that once polluted the New River
is now treated.
•	Constructed wetlands provided additional
treatment and expanded riparian habitat.
IMPACT: Strengthening Emergency Preparedness
The border region is highly industrial and hazardous
materials pose a threat to communities and transboundary
air and watersheds. Arizona State University led the
development of a binational Hazardous Materials Emergency
Response Training (HAZMAT) Pilot Program with industry,
academia, and federal, state, and local agencies.
Key Accomplishments:
•	Developed five multi-day training courses.
•	Trained and certified 12 new instructors.
•	Created a binational model for on-going trainings to
industry and first responders.
B C
v
CHIHUAHUA V
MMBEROS NOGAIES

School student contest mascot design winner
presented with award at city council
Treatment plant (center) and wetlands (upper right). Photo/Bill Hatcher
« The Border 2020 work
group has allowed a working
relationship to become an excellent
friendship. It has been a very useful
tool for the development of border
environmental initiatives. Sonora
and Arizona have benefited from
on water, air; and solid waste."
Capacity-building for Ambos Nogaies firemen. Photo/Bill Hatcher
B
•tMple projects
— Luis Carlos Romo Salazar, Commissioner, Commission on Ecology
and Sustainable Development, State of Sonora, Mexico
The Border 2020
Program is essential
a* • to continue providing
guidelines of our goals
Iwithin the United States
and the State of Texas. We
need to continue to improve
the environment and decrease pollution."
— Dr. Elaine Mowinski Barron, MD, U.S. Joint Advisory
Committee Charter Member, El Paso, Texas
IMPACT: Promoting Sustainability in Alamo, Texas
Through a new partnership, the City enhanced
environmental stewardship.
Key Accomplishments:
•	Decreased illegal dumping by over 238 tons/year.
•	Presented to over 1,270 students at five community
presentations on recycling.
•	Distributed 5,000 bilingual recycling brochures and
installed a revolving recycling trailer and bins at schools.
•	Led community clean-ups and collection events.
IMPACT: Strengthening Emergency Preparedness in Colonias
In August 2016. the Border 2020 Program, along with NGOs in the Lower Rio Grande
Valley region, hosted the first Emergency Preparedness Conference for Colonias.
Key Accomplishments:
•	110+ residents were trained on how to prepare, survive and recover from a disaster,
•	Other topics included: fire prevention, food safety and storage, county evacuation
plans, disaster housing, and family emergency planning.
I
\
)AHUILA I
Gulf of
Mexico
NUEVO
LEON
Colonias Conference in Alamo, Texas
TAMAULIPAS
N

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Two countries, ten states, twenty-six tribes
one environment
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California. Photo/Jeremy Bauer
u The Border 2020 Program has
allowed us to improve our relationship
with EPA and more importantly they are
accepting local input. That is important
to develop long term relationships and
really address U.S. - Mexico Border
environmental issues."
U The Border 2020 Program brings
people together to better understand
and coordinate emergency preparedness and
response tactics. The result is first responders
and communities on both sides of the Border
who are better trained and equipped to
protect human health and the environment."
Dr. Hector F. Gonzalez, Director of the City of Laredo Health Department, Laredo, Texas
- Mario Novoa, Fire Chief, Douglas, Arizona
«S>ER 20
U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program
www.epa .gov/border2020

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