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Wo odrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

June 17, 2010 

### Good **Neighbor Environmental**  **Board** 13 th 

### Report of GNEB to the President and Congress of the United States
Paul Ganster, Chair GNEB San Diego State University pganster@mail.sdsu.edu 

# A **Blueprint for Action on**  **the U.S. -** **Mexico Border**23

**GNEB 2010 meeting in Rio Rico, AZ** 4 

# Acknowledgements • CEQ and Nancy Sutley for facilitating the Board’ s interactions with the President and administration • EP A/OIT A and Michelle DePass for leadership of Border 2012 • EP A/OCEM for support of GNEB and its activities5



# GNEB 13 th 

# Re port • A comprehensive blueprint on border environmental issues • The Board approached the issues and solutions with a clear understanding of the ongoing federal resource limitations • The Board brings perspectives from all border stakeholders, especially the border communities6 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action • 63 specific and actionable recommendations grouped in 8 thematic chapters • There are also a number of cross - cutting observations and recommendations that appear throughout the report7 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action 1 Climate Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation 9 recommendations 2 Air Quality 7 recommendations 3 Renewable Energy 6 recommendations 4 Water 6 recommendations 5 Solid and Hazardous Waste 11 recommendations 6 Emergency Preparedness 9 recommendations 7 Habitat and Biodiversity Conservation 9 recommendations 8 Institutional Mechanisms 6 recommendations8 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action • Climate Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation

– Ef fects on border water and ecosystems

– Coordinate U.S.& Mexico federal, state, local adaptation and mitigation planning, education, and implementation for the border region 

## • Air Quality

– Binational airshed management

– Reduce idling and wait times at ports of entry

– Co - benefits of GHG and criteria pollutant reductions9 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action • Renewable Energy

– Coordination with Mexico of regulations and transborder ef

fect assessment of renewable energy production and transmission
– Federal regulations and incentives for residential and commercial renewable energy and energy ef ficiency 

### • Wa ter

– Wa ter supply and drought
– Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program
– Wa ter and watershed management coordination with Mexico and tribes10 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action • Solid and Hazardous Waste

– U.S. and Mexico coordination to improve flow of Hazmat through ports of entry; binational hazmat tracking system

– U.S. and Mexico coordination of flow and management of used materials such as tires, appliances, vehicles

– Binational recycling market development 

## • Emergency Preparedness

– Address border port of entry bottlenecks for emergency responders

– Improve and implement international and city- to - city agreements for ef

fective regional emergency response system11 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action • Habitat and Biodiversity Conservation
– Better coordination among U.S. and Mexican of ficials for management of shared resources
– Coordinated binational response to climate change
– Mitigation of fence impacts and long - term monitoring
– DOI participation in Border 2012 

### • Institutional Mechanisms
– Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment
– Clarify roles of border institutions to address and prioritize unmet needs
– Make Border 2012 more accessible to tribes and small communities
– Other federal agencies should more actively participate in Border 2012 process — Energy, Agriculture, DHS, Defense, and others12 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action: Themes • **Due to location along the international boundary** 

**, border communities face greater challenges and have a lower**  **environmental quality than comparable communities within**  **the United States**13 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action: Themes • There is a coincidence of poverty, ethnicity, and environmental problems in border communities

– 68.5% Hispanic

– 88.0% Hispanic with out San Diego & Pima14 

# A Blueprin t f

or Action: Themes • Improved coordination across the border is needed to develop binational solutions for binational environmental problems • Better coordination among all U.S. federal agencies with programs in the border region would significantly improve approaches and ef

ficiencies to border environmental problem resolution15 

# Fo r Mor e Informa tion **Dolor es W** **esson Designa**  **ted Fe**  **der al**  **Officer** Good Neighbor Envir onment al Boar d U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Cooper ative Environmental Management 1200 P ennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Wa shington, DC 20460 202/564 - 1351 wesson.dolor es@epa.gov **Pa ul Ganster**  **, Ph.D**  **. Chair**  **, GNEB** Institute for R egional Studies of the Californias San Diego St ate University 5500 Campanile Drive, A&L 337 San Diego , CA 92182 - 4403 619 - 694 - 5423 pg anster@mail.sdsu.edu 

## http://www.epa. gov/ocem/gneb/