US EditionLawmakers Call for Federal Action on Tijuana River Pollution Crisis
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, JUL 9 – The Clean Shipping Act targets zero emissions from large ships at U.S. ports by 2035 and full elimination by 2050 to protect health in port communities, responsible for nearly 3% of global emissions.
- On July 10, 2025, Democratic legislators, including San Diego’s Juan Vargas, unveiled a bill aimed at addressing sewage contamination from the Tijuana River affecting the U.S.-Mexico border area by designating the EPA to lead efforts in managing and improving water quality.
- The legislation responds to decades of untreated wastewater and toxic waste causing harmful impacts, including long-lasting beach closures, public health risks, and environmental damage in border communities.
- The bill assigns the Environmental Protection Agency to lead a whole-of-government effort through a new geographic program managing watersheds with comprehensive water quality plans.
- Representative Juan Vargas highlighted the severe damage caused by pollution to the well-being of residents, local enterprises, and the surrounding environment, stressing the importance of an efficient federal response.
- If enacted, the legislation aims to centralize federal action, improve water quality and public health, and provide clean air and water to San Diego and neighboring communities affected by cross-border pollution.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Beachgoer shares disturbing video of sickening pollution flowing onto popular US beach: 'How is this even allowed?'
A video of polluted runoff filled with gunk, empty cans, plastic bottles, and even an old bicycle overtaking the shoreline at the end of Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California, has sparked anger and concern online, posing serious questions about beach safety, wildlife health, and environmental accountability. In the clip posted by TikTok user Chelsea Sawai (@chelseaaudibert), murky water and floating debris illustrate how stormwater drains c…
No Border for Sewage: High Bacteria Levels in Tijuana River Close California Beaches
A number of beaches in California’s San Diego County are currently closed due to high bacteria levels. The ocean shoreline that runs for several miles down to the very tip of San Diego County, for example, is currently closed due to sewage flowing from Mexico down the Tijuana River and into the Pacific Ocean. The issue of sewage from Mexico affecting California’s beaches is not a new one, as we unfortunately learned firsthand last year. Coveri…
Bicameral Bill to address Tijuana River pollution introduced in Congress
Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress Thursday introduced legislation to help combat the ongoing Tijuana River sewage pollution across the U.S.-Mexico border by appointing the Environmental Protection Agency as the lead agency on the crisis.
Lawmakers call for federal action on Tijuana River pollution crisis
Sen. Alex Padilla visited the Tijuana River Valley region in June 2023 to advocate for improved sewage treatment. (File photo courtesy of Sen. Alex Padilla) California lawmakers on Thursday re-introduced the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act to combat ongoing pollution from the Tijuana River. San Diego Democrats Juan Vargas and Scott Peters introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. Two fellow members of San Diego’s …
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