WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Mike Levin (CA-49), applauded President Biden’s inclusion of $310 million to help upgrade the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in his disaster relief proposal to Congress. 

In September, Rep. Peters and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) led a similar request to congressional leadership for additional funds to repair and upgrade the wastewater treatment plant in any upcoming disaster relief funding package. This funding would build on the $400 million in federal funding the Congressional delegation has already secured, and would help support the ongoing construction project to double the wastewater treatment plant’s capacity and combat cross-border pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. 

“President Biden continues to support the funds we need to end this environmental catastrophe because he knows the public health is at risk,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “This crisis has polluted San Diego’s waters, poisoned the health of its citizens, and endangered our local economy, and we must pass this emergency funding now to ensure San Diegans no longer endure this injustice. I urge Congressional leadership to take this up immediately so that the victims of this crisis and those of the recent hurricanes can receive the relief they need.”

“After our continued calls for action, I’m glad to see President Biden demonstrate yet again that addressing this pollution is a key priority,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “We know there’s more work to do. This funding must get through both the House and the Senate. But to all the members of our community who have joined us and raised their voices about the impacts of this terrible pollution, your advocacy is making a difference. Leaders at the highest level of government are listening. Now, Congressional leadership should take this up immediately.”

“Our San Diego congressional delegation has worked tirelessly to draw national attention and bring home federal funds to address the Tijuana River Valley crisis – the biggest environmental and public health disaster in our community,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs. “I’m so proud our hard work is paying off from breaking ground on the repair and expansion project at the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant to securing $310 million in President Biden’s supplemental budget package. We will keep pushing until this crisis is resolved.”

“The best time to deal with the Tijuana River Valley toxic sewage crisis was years ago. The second-best time is today,” said Rep. Mike Levin. “I’m pleased that President Biden has requested $310 million in federal funding for the Tijuana River Valley region in his updated funding package. This money will help repair and expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, bolstering our efforts to prevent pollution from continuing to contaminate our beaches and ecosystems. Our communities deserve clean, safe water, and securing this funding would put us one step closer to delivering on that commitment.”

The San Diego Congressional delegation has been focused on combating pollution in the Tijuana River Valley for years. 

In 2021, the San Diego Congressional delegation secured $300 million in the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) to fund an expansion of the SBIWTP from 25 million gallons per day (mgd) to 50 mgd. This funding, in combination with Fiscal Year 2024 funding, has supported the planning, study, and design of projects critical for the rehabilitation and expansion of SBIWTP. However, last year we learned that significantly more funding is needed to rehabilitate the plant before the IBWC can expand the plant. These new costs jeopardize the United States’ ability to fulfill its international obligations under the treaty known as Minute 328.

Securing emergency funding is crucial to rehabilitate and expand the plant in order to protect public health and the environment, and to stop the economic damage cross-border sewage flows have had on our communities for far too long. For these reasons, we are requesting the highest amount of funding possible for IBWC in any supplemental package or budget deal in order to address deferred maintenance and expand capacity at SBIWTP. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

In October, the San Diego Congressional delegation urged the U.S. Small Business Administration to investigate how it can provide assistance to businesses impacted by pollution in the Tijuana River Valley. 

The San Diego Congressional delegation also called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide support to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District as they work to monitor the air quality in communities impacted by Tijuana River Valley pollution. 

In May, the Congressional delegation called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to look into the contaminants in the water, soil, and air in our communities and the potential connection to reported increases in illnesses and other symptoms. Thanks to their request, the CDC has begun an investigation into the public health impacts of the Tijuana River Valley sewage pollution.

Further Background:

Representative Peters has, for years, worked to address the cross-border pollution that’s fouling San Diego’s coastal waters, including pushing for additional funding to fix and expand the dilapidated South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP). The following are some recent actions:

2024

1. 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.
2. In February, Rep. Peters joined members of San Diego’s Congressional delegation to ask U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro about the effects of cross-border pollution on Navy operations.
3. 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.
4. In May, Rep. Peters joined Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16) in a bipartisan request for $278 million for the IBWC’s construction budget in the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations bill.
5. In August, Rep. Peters hosted Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma on a tour of the broken wastewater treatment plant.
6. In Septermber, Rep. Peters joined members of San Diego’s Congressional delegation to reiterate their call for a federal state of emergency declaration amid high levels of toxic gases.

2023

1. 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.
2. In July, members of the San Diego congressional delegation requested that the Environmental Protection Agency assist with directing environmental justice funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act to help stop the flow of pollutants and urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to tour the broken plant.
3. Also in July, they sent a letter to President Biden and submitted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, calling on the administration to declare this crisis a federal emergency.
4. In August, he led two letters to the Office of Management and Budget and to OMB and the State Department, calling for urgent additional funding to confront this crisis. 
5. 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.
6. In October, Rep. Peters led a bipartisan letter to the Department of State demanding a full account of how the SBIWTP fell into such a severe state of disrepair.
7. In December, he led a letter urging leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate to include President Biden’s $310 million supplemental budget request to repair the SBIWTP in any upcoming funding package.

In previous years, Peters along with colleagues, has secured funding, introduced legislation, called for investigations, and arranged a visit by EPA Administrator Regan in response to the wastewater contamination crisis. 

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