Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)
Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Scott Peters (CA-50), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer regarding the Trump Administration’s upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). T which also commits Mexico to wastewater infrastructure investments. In recent years, Congress has also provided more than $300 million to address ongoing funding shortfalls since March 2024. Still, more effort is needed.
“As the Administration begins its review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), we strongly urge you to use this opportunity to pursue further investments and cross-border cooperation to curb the transboundary sewage crisis in the Tijuana River Valley,” the members wrote.
The members continued, sharing infrastructure initiatives and additional projects needed to ensure long-term solutions to this public health emergency in the San Diego-Tijuana region: “The EPA and North American Development Bank (NADBank) have outlined further wastewater treatment, conservation, and remediation projects that further reduce transboundary flows and associated pollution.”
These recommendations include:
The members concluded, “These recommendations align with the Administration’s broader goals of enhancing regional competitiveness and fostering national prosperity. The USTR served as a critical advocate for this transboundary wastewater crisis in the last USMCA negotiations, and we hope that commitment remains.”
Read the full letter HERE.
Further Background:
Representative Peters has, for years, worked to address the cross-border pollution fouling San Diego’s coastal waters, including pushing for additional funding to fix and expand the dilapidated SBIWTP. The following are some recent actions:
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In March, Rep. Peters introduced legislation to authorize the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to accept funding from federal and non-federal entities for wastewater treatment, flood control projects, or other water conservation efforts.
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In January, Rep. Peters took to the House floor to demand that the President’s requested $310 million to fix and expand the dilapidated SBIWTP be included in any upcoming spending deal.
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In March, Rep. Peters celebrated the inclusion of $156 million, at his request, for the International Boundary and Water Commission’s (IBWC) construction budget in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bill. The IBWC is the federal agency tasked with operating and maintaining the SBIWTP.
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In June, Rep. Peters led a letter with other members of the San Diego Congressional delegation to the governor of Baja California urging accountability for the Mexican government’s commitments to build wastewater treatment infrastructure.
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In September, he proposed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill to boost U.S.- Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Grant Program funding. Additionally, he proposed two amendments to the Fiscal Year 2024 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill to boost annual construction funding to the USIBWC to $100 million.
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In October, Rep. Peters led a bipartisan letter to the Department of State demanding a complete account of how the SBIWTP fell into such a severe state of disrepair.