V
J*""**
O t
,	

>
>
>
>
>
Reduce the highest public	>
health risks and preserve and
restore the natural	>
environment
Adopt a bottom-up approach
Address disproportionate
environmental impacts
Improve stakeholder	>
participation
Foster transparency, public
participation, and open
dialogue
Strengthen capacity
Achieve concrete,
measurable results
Measure program
progress through the
development of
environmental and public
health-based indicators
Recognize tribal
sovereignty of U.S. Tribes and
address issues impacting tribes
on a government-to-
government basis
MISSION STATEMENT
As a result of the partnership among
U.S. Border Tribes and federal, state and
local governments in the United States
and Mexico, the mission of the Border
2020 program is to: Protect the
environment and public health in the
U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent
with the principles of sustainable
development.
Ill this program, sustainable development is defined
as "conservation-oriented social and economic
development that emphasizes the protection and
sustainable use of resources while addressing both
current and future needs and present and future
impacts of human actions."
> Address the specific concerns
and protect and preserve the
cultural integrity of Mexican
indigenous communities
Border 2020 has established six fundamental strategies that complement and inform the way we achieve the goals and
objectives of the program:
1.	Working to Improve
Children's Health
2.	Building Capacity
towards Climate Change
Resiliency
3.	Protecting
Disadvantaged &
Underserved
Communities
4.	Promoting
Environmental
Awareness
5.
6.
Promoting
Environmental Health
Strengthening Tribal,
State, Federal and
International
Partnerships
Border 2020 has identified five long-term Goals with specific Objectives to address the most serious environmental
and environmentally-related public health challenges in the border region. Some objectives and sub-objectives targeted
by these strategic goals are broad and are expected to serve as guidance in the development of biennial action plans.
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Biennial action plans establish priority and near-term targets that pay attention to the particular needs of a geographic
area, region, or community, and adapt to emerging issues and/or unanticipated resource constraints.
Goal #1: Reduce Air Pollution
•	Continue to focus on air pollution reductions in binational airsheds
•	By 2018, maintain effective air quality monitoring networks and timely access to air quality data
•	Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and alternatives or renewable energy projects
Goal #2: Improve Access to Clean and Safe Water
•	By 2015, increase homes connected to safe drinking water (DW) and waste water (WW) treatment
•	Help DW and WW utilities become more efficient and sustainable
•	Reduce levels of metals, sediment, or bacteria entering rivers and watersheds
Goal #3: Promote Materials and Waste Management and Clean Sites
•	Develop capacity to improve collection and recycling of e-waste,
plastics, and trash
•	Develop scrap tire pile prevention and recycling capacity
•	Develop institutional capacity to clean up contaminated sites
•	Continue to share information on border area hazardous waste
facilities
Goal #4: Enhance Joint Preparedness for Environmental Response
•	Update eight sister city joint contingency plans with risk identification
and reduction of all hazards
•	Facilitate easier trans-boundary movement of equipment and
personnel
•	Continue updating the U.S.-Mexico Joint Contingency Plan
Goal #5: Compliance Assurance and Environmental Stewardship
•	Improve information sharing between enforcement agencies on the movement of hazardous waste across the
border
•	Use Toxics Release Inventory (in the U.S.) and the Emissions and Contaminant Transfer Registry (RETC, in
Mexico) to identify top polluters of toxic releases
•	Training and information exchange on laws and regulations of respective countries
To complement and support the goals and objectives, Border 2020 encourages the use of Border 2020 Tools. The tools
are not intended to be all-inclusive. They include:
>	Pollution Prevention Techniques
>	Public Health Interventions
>	Sustainable Management of Water Resources
>	Environmental Information
>	Regulation and Policy Development
>	Cooperative Enforcement and Compliance Assistance
>	Environmental Education and Training
>	Infrastructure Planning and Development
Key differences between Border

2012 and 2020
Border 2020 includes:
>
An 8-year implementation horizon
>
Six Fundamental Strategies
>
2-Year Action Plans that account

for resource and priority changes

and that consider the particular

needs of a community or

geographic area
>
Indicators and Communication

Committees
>
A stronger communication

component
>
Updated goals and objectives
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Organizational Structure and Coordinating Bodies (see
figure) remain similar to the previous Border
Environmental Program. Consistent with the La Paz
Agreement, National Coordinators from each country
manage overall program implementation, and ensure
cooperation, coordination and communication among all
coordinating bodies. Policy Fora focus on border-wide
and multi-regional issues (identified as a priority by two
or more regional workgroups), primarily federal in nature
(requiring direct, high-level, and sustained leadership by
federal program partners in the United States and
Mexico) and that require broad policy considerations.
Each of the five Policy Fora has a federal co-chair from the
United States and Mexico. Regional Workgroups are
multi-media and geographically-focused, and emphasize
regional public health and environmental issues. They
coordinate activities at the regional level and support the
efforts of local Task Forces and coordinate with U.S.
Tribes and Mexican indigenous communities. Each
Regional Workgroup has one state and one federal co-
chair from each country. The Regional Workgroups may
create Task Forces to identify priority issues and help
facilitate pilot projects by engaging with local, state and
tribal governments, academia, NGOs, and the public.
BORDER 2020 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
NATIONAL COORDINATORS (EPA-SEMARNAT)
Advisory Committees on Communications and Indicators
Regional Workgroups
•	Arizona/ Sonora
•	California/ Ba]a California
•	New Mexico-Texas-
Chihuahua
•	Texas- Coahuila- Nuevo
Leon- Tamaulipas
Task Forces
•	Created and managed by
the Regional Workgroups
•	Identify priority issues and
help facilitate pilot
projects by convening
local, state, and tribal
governments, academia,
NGOs, and the public.
1
Policy Fora
•	Air
•	Water
•	Material Management
& Clean Sites
•	Emergency Preparedness
& Response
•	Compliance Assurance
and Environmental
Stewardship
Communication is an essential element of past and present U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Programs. Border 2020,
like the previous program, Border 2012, depends on a bottom-up communication approach. In order to ensure effective
and timely communication and engagement with the public, program partners, and stakeholders, a communication
strategy has been developed and will be updated regularly to ensure that efforts are streamlined and effective.
Interagency Cooperation and Leveraging of Resources - In order to maximize interagency cooperation, Border 2020
considers the relevant activities implemented by other institutions and the input provided by organizations that
represent a broad spectrum of programs and perspectives from governmental, non-governmental, academic, and
private sectors. Achievement of the goals of Border 2020 depend on continued availability and efficient utilization of
funding from federal, state, and local governments as well as from public/private partnerships and collaborations.
Border 2020 encourages ail parties to participate in leveraging resources when developing projects, policies, and
programs to meet its goals and objectives.
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