^OER 20
J§
°>VTEflN'V
Border 2020 Newsletter
Region 9
California, Baja California, Arizona and Sonora
Fall 2015
www2.epa.gov/border2020



7/m newsletter provides a summary of activities that took place from July through September 2015.
General Updates
U.S.-Mexico Border Program Awards Eleven New Projects. The U.S.-Mexico Border Program has awarded
eleven new projects in Region 9 valued at $660,000, leveraging an additional $328,000 in external funding from
those organizations. Projects include the identification of emission reduction measures and actions in Nogales,
Sonora; evaluation of environmental health status along the Arizona-Sonora border; and an "ocean friendly"
restaurants campaign in the Tijuana/San Diego Region, among others. The eleven new projects were awarded
following a review of 51 proposals received in response to an RFP issued on April 13th. The projects help to
fulfill binational commitments identified within the U.S.-Mexico Border 2020 Program. For more information,
please visit www.cocef.org or contact Lorena Lopez-Powers at lopez-powers.lorena@epa.gov.
National Coordinators Convene in El Paso, Texas. The National Coordinators of the U.S.-Mexico Border 2020
Program met on September 21-23 in El Paso, Texas. The First National Coordinators Public Meeting (NCM)
under the new Border 2020 Program convened representatives of the ten U.S. and Mexican border states to present
the program's achievements and advancements; evaluate its goals, objectives, and operation; and identify key
actions required to enhance it. These were the main objectives of the binational meeting chaired by U.S. National
Coordinator Jane Nishida (EPA) and Mexican National Coordinator Enrique Lendo-Fuentes (SEMARNAT), who
addressed the participants with some welcoming remarks. Coordinators reviewed 2015-2016 Action Plans,
collaborative agreements, and the creation of environmental
indicators; thus confirming both specific commitments and general
opportunities to work together in the implementation of the
Program. The national coordinators will next convene in 2017 in
Baja California. For a complete summary of the NCM and copy of
the Joint Communique, please see Border 2020 website and/or
contact Lorena Lopez-Powers at lopez-powers.lorena@epa.gov.
Tomas Torres Selected to Head EPA Region 9 Water Division. Tomas Torres has been
selected as the new director of EPA Region 9's Water Division. Fie had previously served
as director of the San Diego Border Office since 2003. Tomas joined EPA in 1991 after
earning a B.S. in environmental science from U.C. Berkeley and worked as an
environmental scientist in the RCRA program, a remedial project manager in the
Superfund Division, and then as Region 9 U.S.-Mexico Flazardous Waste Coordinator.
Bridget Coyle is serving as the acting director of the San Diego Border Office until the role
is filled in early 2016. Contact Bridget Coyle at covle.bridget@epa.gov.

-------
Goal Updates
Goal 1 - Reduce Air Pollution
Imperial County Air Pollution Control District Completes Port of Entry Emissions Study. Under a grant
from EPA's Border 2020 program, the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District (ICAPCD) has completed
a study that estimated emissions from northbound vehicles crossing at the Calexico East and West Ports of Entry
(POE). Over 11 million vehicles and 21 million passengers and
pedestrians cross these two ports of entry annually. The study
concluded that the border delays, which can be as great as 2.5 hours,
accounted for up to 63% of emissions from northbound vehicles
crossing the border. For NOx emissions, this is equivalent to emissions
from 4400 vehicles in Imperial County annually. The report also
considered various strategies to reduce emissions. This report will be
used to inform transportation and customs agencies of air quality
impacts when considering expansions to existing ports or construction
of new ports. The report may also be useful in the development of
Imperial County's PM2.5 State Implementation Plan (SIP).
Emissions Inventory Completed for Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. An emissions inventory of criteria pollutants
was recently completed for Nogales, Sonora. Nogales, Sonora, a city of 250,000 inhabitants, is directly across the
border from Nogales, Arizona. Although Nogales, Arizona is in non-attainment for PM10, the State has
demonstrated that it would be in attainment but for emissions from Nogales, Sonora. The emissions inventory
showed that the 87 percent of PM10 emissions and over half of the PM2.5 emissions were from paved and
unpaved roads and almost half of the PM2.5 emissions were from wildfires. The results from the emissions
inventory will be instrumental in the development of a Pro-Aire, which is a strategic plan to reduce emissions.
The Pro-Aire is being funded through EPA/BECC Border 2020 funds.
Goal 2 - Improve Access to Clean and Safe Water
Holtville, California Kicks-off Construction of Treatment Plant Upgrade. The City of Holtville began
construction in September on an upgrade to its existing 0.85 MGD wastewater treatment plant to meet discharge
requirements for ammonia and other pollutants. This $14M project is jointly funded with $6.9M in EPA BEIF
and $7.1M in State of California Clean Water Act SRF loan and grant funds. The project is expected to be
completed by the end of 2016. (Su Cox, 415-972-3555)
Bisbee, AZ Completes Construction of Wastewater Collection System for the Community of Tintown.
Construction of a wastewater collection system in Tintown, a small community within the city of Bisbee in
southeastern Arizona, was completed in July. The community lacked wastewater collection services and relied
on failing septic tanks or nonconforming cesspools for its wastewater disposal. The project included 23 new
wastewater connections. The $1.3M project was jointly funded with $792K in EPA BEIF funds and a $700K
grant from USDA-Rural Development. (Roger Kohn, 415-972-3416)
Pretreatment Toolkit - Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) - Phase 1 completed. In July, Phase I of a pretreatment
toolkit designed to assist small communities in southern Arizona to develop and implement a FOG-based
pretreatment program was completed through a Border 2020 grant. The toolkit includes the requisite documents
and templates (e.g., a Sewer Use Ordinance, Enforcement Response Plan, Industrial User permits, and a FOG
management policy). Phase 2 of the toolkit will include review of sewer use ordinances and emergency response
plans for the cities of Douglas and Willcox, AZ and Holtville, CA as well as the development of permit templates,
inspection protocols, and monitoring plans. (Roger Kohn, 415-972-3416)
Page 2 of 8
Queueins at Calexico West

-------
Chairs Selected to Lead Border 2020 Tijuana River Watershed Task Force. David Gibson, Executive Officer
of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and Mayra Cruz, watershed coordinator of the Mexican
Federal Water Commission in Mexicali were selected to co-chair the Tijuana River Watershed Task Force. Both
attended the National Coordinators Meeting held in El Paso, Texas in September. Dave Gibson presented on
issues facing the Tijuana River watershed and Flans Fluth of ADEQ and co-chair of the Arizona/Sonora Water
Task Force presented on issues facing Ambos Nogales. (Doug Liden, 619-235-4763)
Fats Oils and Greases (FOG) Pretreatment Toolkit Developed. Under a contract with EPA,
Tetra Tech completed the development of a FOG program management policy, approved
grease waste hauler program, inspection training guide, enforcement response guide, and
outreach materials for commercial and residential users. They also reviewed the City of
Nogales' (City) sewer use ordinance (SUO) and enforcement response plan (ERP) and
developed forms and procedures for conducting an Industrial Waste Survey (IWS). Work under
Phase 2 of the contract will expand these reviews to cover the City of Douglas, AZ, Willcox,
AZ, and Holtville, CA. (Doug Liden, 619-235-4763)
Border 2020 projects announced. To address both flooding and erosion in Nogales, Sonora, the nonprofit
Watershed Management Group of Tucson, Arizona and Instituto Municipal de Investigation y Planeacion de
Nogales were both awarded grants to create green infrastructure demonstration projects in Nogales, Sonora, as
well as to train civil engineers and engineering students on green
infrastructure design. In Tijuana, the non-profit Proyecto Fronterizo de
Education Ambiental received Border 2020 funding to create an "Ocean
Friendly Restaurant" campaign designed to reduce the number of single-
use Styrofoam products distributed by restaurants located in Playas de
Tijuana, These cups and food containers frequently make it to the beach
and break into pieces too small to be collected before entering the ocean.
This program will be modeled after a similar initiative implemented by the
Surfrider Foundation in San Diego. (Doug Liden, 619-235-4763)
Goal 3 -Promoting Materials and Waste Management and Clean Sites
COLEF Panel Discusses Border Environment and Climate Change
academic institutions that hosted the 2015 Environmental Leaders
Program (LEAD), a program for Latin American public and private
sector leaders administered by Colegio de Mexico, a university in
Mexico City. Emily Pimentel served on a panel discussion on
September 81h along with Mario Vasquez of BECC and Francisco
Bernal of OLA to share their respective institutions' mission and how
they coordinate and collaborate to address border public health
environmental as well as climate change issues. LEAD, founded
through an initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation in 1991, works to
develop leaders around the world. See http://www.lead.org/.
Page 3 of 8
. COLEF was one of five Latin American

-------
Nogales Trash Cleanup and Mitigation. The Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) contractor has been working under
an EPA REP A $60K contract to characterize border trash in the Nogales Wash in Ambos Nogales (Nogales, A Z
and Nogales, SN). The assessment is based on analyzing aerial imagery
from the previous 5 to 10 years and other information sources, including
interviews with EPA, ADEQ, Ambos Nogales stakeholders, and others.
The week of August 31st, BAH conducted site visits to ground truth the
data and meet with stakeholders in Ambos Nogales about the sites and
cleanup priorities. The finding of this initial assessment will be compiled
into a report to inform the identification of sites to be recommended by
EPA, ADEQ and Ambos Nogales stakeholders for cleanup later this year.
A trash cleanup was completed in Nogales, Sonora earlier this year.
Arizona Border e-Waste Reuse Toolkit. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) launched
the e-waste toolkit to the entire state during National Pollution Prevention Week, September 21-27, part of the
work under a BECC $63K grant awarded to ADEQ in 2014. ADEQ piloted the toolkit by working with the border
cities of Bisbee, Nogales, Sahuarita, San Luis, Somerton, and Sierra
Vista. The final Border 2020 e-waste collection event was held on
September 26th in Sierra Vista collecting 6,932 pounds of e-waste,
resulting in the combined total for six events to 63,656 pounds. ADEQ
has promotes the toolkit through newspaper, radio and television. See
http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/waste/p2/ewastetoolkit/index.html for
toolkit. J.B. Shaw, the ADEQ lead for this project was interviewed by
three radio stations during P2 Week, and he appeared with Keep
Arizona Beautiful on AZTV 7's The Morning Scramble) as well.
Nogales, Sonora Increases Used Oil Management Capacity. In September, the City of Nogales Department of
Ecology completed the final report for the BECC grant project to reduce used oil contamination. The grant funded
a program to develop used oil collection centers to facilitate access to recyclers and to increase compliance for
small quantity used oil generators. Nogales also developed a media campaign with TV and radio coverage on best
management practices for managing used oil. The project implemented
during 18 months in 2014-2015 resulted in the collection of 398,000
liters of used oil from 103 sites, mostly auto mechanics. To ensure the
success of the used oil collection effort, the Department of Ecology
trained 280 used oil generators in the proper collection and storage of
used oil through workshops and personalized shop visits. Each trainee
received a manual, developed through this grant, on hazardous materials
reduction, storage and disposal. Since this project was implemented, now
over 90 percent of small businesses have used oil management capacity.
(Andre Villasenor, 213-244-1813)
Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Grant Supports Border. The EFC West, affiliated with the Dominican
University, was awarded a grant amendment of $125K in July 2015 to support additional activities in FY 16, the
last year of a six year cooperative agreement. EFC is supporting two new border activities: (1) technical support
to research and make recommendstions on sustainable funding for Imperial Valley asmtha enviornmental health
services and (2) Sustainable Materials Management forum to support Border 2020 Goal 3. The asmtha work is
being done under EPA's national Making a Visible Difference
(MVD) initiative. EFC is also supporting a second MVD activity to
develop compost services for Las Vegas and is completing a Tijuana
compost market survey.
JB Shaw
EFC West
™ - ~	Environmental Finance Center West
Page 4 of 8

-------
Local Community and Institutions Unite to Beautify Mexicali Canal. The Sonoran Institute (SI), working
under a $65,000 BECC grant, led trash cleanup and mitigation efforts and planted 29
trees consisting of mezquites, acacias, and palo verde as part of a community park
development plan along the 1.5 km area of the New River nearest to the border in
Mexicali. The public event held on September 1111' engaged community residents
including children from the neighborhood school. A total of 128 individuals
participated. Seventeen institutions were represented including EPA (Emily Pimentel)
and BECC (Briselda Durate). The event also included a second cleanup of 22 m3 of
trash including about 40 tires. To promote awareness among the larger Mexicali
community about the campaign to reduce trash and revitalize the drains, The Sonoran
Institute launched the "Mexicali Fluye" campaign, which translates to Mexicali
"flows" in reference to revitalizing communties, as well as water flowing in the drains.
Inter-American Development Bank Funds e-Waste Program in Mexicali. In July 2015, Camanoe Associates
submitted a work plan to BECC for the project "Baseline Study and Market Analysis for the Recycling of Used
Electronic Products in Mexicali, Baja California". The work would be performed with experts from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Autonomous University of Baja CA, and the Catholic University of Peru,
as part of a three year e-waste program administered by BECC for the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) and in collaboration with EPA's Border 2020 Goal 3. The
IDE's program objectives are to increase market opportunities to repair and recycle
electronics in Mexico, while meeting Border 2020 objectives to safely and efficiently
manage e-waste in accordance with best management practices. The IDB formerly
launched the program during its mission trip to Tijuana and Mexicali on June 24-25.
Task Force Meets in Mexicali, Baja CA. On September 10th Task Force Co-chairs, Emily Pimentel, EPA,
Delegado Alfonso Blancafort Oriel, SEMARANT, Sub-Director Saul Guzman, SPA, and Alfredo Rios, DSTC
chaired the California/Baja CA Waste and Enforcement Task Force. The meeting, held in SEMARNAT's offices,
included about 30 attendees, among the US participants were Jeremy Bauer, EPA, Elise Rosenberg, DTSC, and
Romina Schiess, San Diego Co. The Sonoran Institute provided an
overview of its trash cleanup and mitigation project along the New
River. Tijuana Calidad de Vida discussed development of Tijuana's
municipal compost program and described a new e-waste market
assessment sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank.
The task force was also invited to provide input on the "Ocean
Friendly Restaurants" initiatives to reduce plastic trash and
Tijuana's Ecoparque food scraps compost pilot, two new Border
2020 projects funded through the latest round of BECC grants.
Border 2020 Binational Waste Policy Forum Outlines Path Forward. The Border 2020 Goal 3 Binational
Waste Policy Forum and Regional Task Force leaders and members met during the National Coordinators
Meeting held September 22-23 in El Paso. The representatives shared highlights of the two-year action plans and
provided input on several possible borderwide priorities, including topics on end-of-life vehicles, scrap tires,
construction debris, plastics, electronics and lead-acid batteries, as well as needed waste management
infrastructure and capacity building for materials management. EPA and SEMARNAT co-chairs agreed to
finalize binational guidance and develop outreach efforts on end-of-life vehicle best managent practices; expand
the Consultative Mechanism to include electronic (e-waste) and lead-acid battery recyclers; and promote cross-
media, international efforts to reduce plastic trash through campaigns such as "Trash free waters"
(http://water.epa.gov/tvpe/oceb/marinedebris/).
Inter-American Development Bank
J3KSŁ
fRONTd"
I '
KCldK BAJA CALIFORNIA- CAIIFI
Page 5 of 8

-------
Goal 4 - Emergency Preparedness and Response
Border Task Force Trained to Respond to IIAZMAT Traffic Accidents. On July 10, Baja California and
Arizona-Sonora Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and
Response Task Force members participated in simultaneous
exercises in Mexicali and Agua Prieta sponsored by
PROFEPA. The Mexicali scenario was a hazardous waste
truck that was involved in a car accident causing a release of
solids impregnated with flammable liquids to the environment.
The Agua Prieta scenario involved two tanker trucks carrying
Sodium Hydrosulfide and Ferro Cyanide that collided with a
vehicle resulting in at least one death and several injuries.
Task Force Convenes HAZMAT Symposia in Mexicali and Agua Prieta. Border 2020 Goal 4 Task Force Co-
Chairs provided an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS) and provided presentations on roles and
responsibilities of various agencies.
Agencies from Arizona and Sonora Gather for First Responder Awareness Training. Nearly 200 individuals
from various agencies from the cities of Douglas, Agua Prieta, Cananea, Naco, Nacozari, Esqueda and Hermosillo
participated in the First Responder Awareness Course (FRA) in Douglas and Agua Prieta on July 8-9. The 8-hour
course was designed as a basic awareness course that teaches responders how to protect life, property and
minimize the environmental impact of a hazardous materials incident. It covered such topics as establishing scene
management; detecting the presence of hazardous materials; initiating evacuation; establishing personnel
protection and decontamination; and isolating and containing the incident.
Border 2020 Arizona-Sonora Task Force Discusses Sister City Plans. On July 10, ninety people participated
in the quarterly Arizona-Sonora task force meeting. The primary focus of the meeting was the format for the
Douglas-Agua Prieta, Ambos Nogales, and San Luis-Yuma-San Luis Colorado Sister City Plans. The meeting
also involved a discussion of recent training (e.g, Union Pacific Sulfuric Acid by Rail, ICS, FRA, First Responder
Operations, Traffic Incident Management System) and an acknowledgement that more ICS training is needed.
During the meeting, the position of Arizona Co-Chair transferred from Chief Les Caid to Chief Mario Novoa.
The next meeting will be in Puerto Penasco on October 23.
Wilcox, Arizona Donates Personal Protective Equipment. The city of Wilcox,
Arizona donated personal protective equipment (jackets, helmets, boots, and gloves),
hoses and other firefighting equipment to the Border 2020 Program. The equipment
has been delivered to the following Sonoran fire departments: Agua Prieta, Nacozari,
Esqueda, Cananea, Arizpe and Huepac.
Goal 5 - Enhance Compliance Assurance and Environmental Stewardship
California Border Environmental Task Force Meeting. Alfredo Rios of the Department of Toxic Substances
Control (DTSC) hosted the California Border Environmental Task Force meeting on September 9 in San Diego.
The group represents local and state agencies from California and federal agencies working in the border region.
Among the topics addressed, DTSC reported periodically conducting unannounced southbound inspections
during hours outside of approved hazardous waste inspecti on hours in cooperation with California Highway Patrol
at designated weigh stations. There was also discussion about the limited availability for cathode ray tubes (CRTs)
recycling markets and how that is expected to adversely impact recycling business in Mexicali and elsewhere in
the border region. The task force agreed to maintain dialogue between US and Mexican regulators.
Page 6 of 8

-------
Env iron mental Health
EPA and BF.CC bring Asthma Expertise to Imperial Valley to Build Treatment Capacity.
On August 27, 2015, Dr. James Seltzer delivered a continuing education program on environmental aspects of
treating asthma for clinicians working in Imperial Valley. Imperial Valley typically faces the highest asthma
hospitalization rates in California. Thirty-five participants attended the training, including doctors, nurses,
physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and others. CME credits were available to participants. The training
focused on recognizing and managing environmentally
induced asthma; identifying environmental stimuli that worsen
asthma; taking an environmental history related to asthma;
understanding the prognosis of environmentally-induced
asthma; and counseling patients/caregivers about reducing
exposure to asthma triggers. EPA and BECC sponsored the
training through an agreement with the Pediatric
Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU). The
instructor, Dr. Seltzer, is a board-certified physician and
pediatrics and allergy / immunology expert. As a member of
the PEHSU, he has presented throughout the world on indoor
air quality, ambient air pollution, mold, and their relationship
to respiratory conditions.
U.S.-Mexico Border Program Awards Two New Environmental Health Projects. Border 2020 has awarded
a $98,518 grant to the El Centra Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) and a $37,975 grant to the Sonora
Environmental Research Institute, Inc (SERI). ECRMC will implement 10 asthma forums to teach residents about
preventing asthma triggers. Activities will also include referral services of asthmatic children via home visits and
implementation of the Healthy Homes Training specifically for low-income housing. SERI will collect
environmental health data and characterize environmental health along the Arizona-Sonora border in a report.
The report will focus on childhood blood levels, mercury, pesticides poisoning, asthma rates, and asthma
hospitalizations.
EPA and Border Health Commission Renew and Expand Collaborative Agreement. After a year of
successes, the EPA and U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission (BHC) (U.S. Section) distributed on September
21-22 at the National Coordinators Meeting in El Paso, Texas a new collaborative agreement between the two
agencies and an accomplishments report detailing successes under the previous agreement. The new agreement
identifies three areas of collaboration including public health and environmental leadership, environmental health
capacity, and institutional resiliency and accountability. Examples of successes under the prior agreement
included establishment of a Pediatric Environmental Health Speciality Unit (PEHSU) along the border; delivery
of 14 promotor training courses in over eight cities along the Border; and collaboration on curriculum
development, team projects, and environmental leadership for the annual Leaders Across Borders initiative. The
collaborative agreement and accomplishments report are both available on the Border 2020 website.
Page 7 of 8

-------
Commission
EPA Partners with Border Health Commission to Bring Environmental Health Experts and Build Capacity
for "Promotores" Working along the Border. EPA partnered
with the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission and the Border
Environmental Cooperation Commission (BECC) to sponsor three
full-day workshops for environmental health promotores who
work in the California-Baja California and Arizona-Sonora border
region. Presenters included environmental health experts from the
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Jeremy Bauer,
Regional Coordinator for Border Environmental Health in EPA's
San Diego Border Office, and Nancy Palate of the California
Department of Public Health. Ms. Palate also loaned her expertise
to help facilitate two of the three workshops and to help Mr. Bauer	
and Jackie Menghrajani of EPA's Region 9 Children's Health Program to design the workshop program. Topics
included indoor/outdoor air quality and asthma triggers, pesticides exposure, lead exposure, water quality, and
climate change. The three interactive workshops included group
activities to facilitate exchange of information and ideas among
attendees and to encourage professional networking. Attendance
exceeded expectations: 34 attended the September 1 workshop
in Chula Vista, CA; 47 in El Centro, CA; and 30 in Nogales,
Arizona. Attendees included promotores from both the U.S. and
Mexico, and simultaneous interpretation was provided. The
training was very well-received, and participants requested that
EPA follow up with additional training and information,
potentially through a regular newsletter. Training materials are
available on the Border 2020 website.
Registration Now Open for Symposium on Children's Environmental Health in the Border Region.
Following a successful symposium focused on environmental health issues faced by children living in the border
region of EPA Region 6, planning continues for a complementary symposium to take place in San Diego, CA on
January 27-28 focused on the California-Baja California and Arizona-Sonora border region. The symposium will
provide a forum for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers, health outreach workers, promotores and
others in the public health community who work with border populations to learn about and share the most recent
environmental health information and best practices. EPA is inviting participants from both the U.S. and Mexico,
and simultaneous interpretation will be provided. Event details and registration instructions are available on the
Border 2020 website. The symposium is sponsored by the U.S. EPA, in partnership with the Border
Environmental Cooperation Commission, Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseases Registry, U.S.-Mexico
Border Health Commission, California Department of Public Health, Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality, and Sonora Environmental Research Institute, Inc. Contact Jackie Menghrajani
(menghraiani.iacquelvn@epa.gov) or Jeremy Bauer (bauer.ieremy@epa.gov).
Page 8 of 8

-------