SD County supervisors unanimously approved a proclamation Tuesday declaring a state of emergency due to pollution and sewage flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Board Chairwoman Nora Vargas and Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer introduced the proclamation, which asks Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden to issue similar declarations,"suspend red tape that may hinder response efforts, and expedite access to federal resources for San Diego County.
According to both supervisors, for several decades"the Tijuana River has caused immense devastation to the coastlines and beaches of San Diego County, resulting in contamination and pollution." Another consequence of poor water quality is Imperial Beach's south side being closed for over 550 consecutive days due to the persistently poor water quality, Vargas and Lawson-Remer said.
While the county has spent money to improve storm water infrastructure, half of the $300 million provided by the federal government will go toward upgrades and deferred maintenance, rather than expanding a wastewater treatment plant, Lawson-Remer said."We cannot spend years waiting for the fixes to be made -- we need action now," she added.
"Imperial Beach has suffered for decades from cross-border pollution, with its beach being closed every day this year ... the impacts are quite, quite severe," she added. A woman who identified herself as a lifeguard at Imperial Beach said toxic waste directly affects her and her colleagues' health and safety, as they must perform rescues or dives even with beach closures.
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