U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program: Border 2012
 

Implementation and Mid-Term Report: 2007
 
2 Chapter Title 

Dear Border Colleagues, Partners, and Stakeholders, 

For over 20 years the United States and Mexico have collaborated in joint 

efforts to protect the environment and public health along the U.S.-Mexico 

border, most recently, through the Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program. The program partners have made tremendous progress 

on addressing critical environmental problems in these two decades. These 

gains have occurred at the same time that our border population has nearly 

doubled and industrial growth has nearly tripled. 

This report highlights many examples of how we have managed to align our 

binational resources with the environmental needs of border communities. 

It also highlights the power of partnership, collaboration, and leveraging of 

resources to achieve on-the-ground results. It is our commitment to continue 

to promote the guiding principles of Border 2012, especially with regard to 

transparency, public access to information, and binational accountability as 

we progress toward achieving the goals and objectives of the program. This 

report conveys this commitment and articulates the great advances that have 

been achieved, while acknowledging the future challenges we face together 

to accomplish the Border 2012 mission “to protect the environment and 

public health in the U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent with the principles 

of sustainable development.” 

As National Coordinators for Border 2012 in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural 

Resources (SEMARNAT), we offer our deepest gratitude to the environmental 

authorities in the 10 Border States; the U.S. border tribes; the co-chairs and 

staff of the program’s Regional and Borderwide Workgroups, Policy Forums 

(and their respective Task Forces); academic, industry, and NGO partners; 

and communities along the border that have been actively engaged with us 

to advance our collective vision of improving environmental conditions for all 

border residents. Their support, enthusiasm and participation, individually 

and jointly, have been essential to coordinate and implement this program. 

Jerry Clifford Ma. Teresa Bandala Medina 

National Coordinator, United States National Coordinator, Mexico 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

EPA-909-R-06-005 

RECYCLE BUG HERE (align rt) 
Border 2012 – Environmental Results through Binational Partnerships 

Since its inception, the Border 2012 

Program has demonstrated the power of partnership and collaboration. 

With the leadership of the 10 border 

states, 26 U.S. tribes, numerous binational institutions, and active participation of border communities, the 

Border 2012 program has leveraged 

knowledge, resources, and expertise 

to significantly improve the quality of 

life and the environment for communities along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

The Border 2012 partnership has 

been at the core of these remarkable achievements and future efforts 

will continue to embrace innovation, 

environmental results, collaboration, 

and leveraging of resources to fulfill 

the Program’s Mission and Goals. 

Together, the Border 2012 partners 

are committed to uphold the Program guiding principles that border 

communities have voiced loud and 

clear over the past decade; these 

include: 

•	 Achieving concrete, measurable 

results; 

•	 Fostering transparency and public participation; 

•	 Adopting a bottom-up approach for setting priorities and in 

decision-making; 

•	 Measuring program progress; 

•	 Reducing the highest public 

health risks; 

•	 Recognizing sovereignty of U.S. 

tribes; 

•	 Recognizing historical debt of indigenous peoples in Mexico; 

•	 Addressing disproportionate environmental impacts; 

•	 Improving stakeholder participation; and 

•	 Strengthening capacity. 

Campo Band of Tohono O’odham Procuraduria Federal de Ewiiaapaayp Band of 

Kumeyaay Indians Nation Protección al Ambiente Kumeyaay Indians 

Mexico’s Federal Attorney 

General for Environmental 

Protection 

Comisión Federal para la Good Neighbor Institute Nacional de 

Protección contra Ries- Environmental Ecologia 

gos Sanitarios Board 

Mexico’s Federal Sanitary 

System
 

“The goals achieved by Border 2012 illustrate the commitment of our two countries in fulfilling the ongoing 

mission of promoting environmental protection and developing strategies of cooperation that, with a local and 

regional focus, promote the development of sustainable 

infrastructure in the border region. In this regard, the 

work of the NADBank is complemented and facilitated 

greatly.” 

North American Development Bank 

“In 2001, the 10 Border States drafted the initial framework for what is now the U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program Border 2012. Since then, in partnership 

with USEPA, Mexico’s Environment Ministry (SEMARNAT), and the U.S. border Tribes, we have made tremendous progress in accomplishing most of the goals 

and objectives of the program.” 

10 Border States 

“The National Water Commission has made progress 

in one of its fundamental goals: to provide drinking 

water and sewage services to a greater amount of 

users located within the border region, within a frame of 

interinstitutional cooperation, sustainable development 

and mutual benefit for both countries.This effort has 

been achieved thanks to the support and cooperation 

from the diverse governmental institutions and tribes 

from United States of America and Mexico, involved in 

Border 2012.” 

Comisión Federal para la Protección contra 

Riesgos Sanitarios 

Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection 

against Sanitary Risks 

Mexico’s National Institute of Ecology 

“The Border 2012 Program advances sound environmental principles through financially-responsible financial investments for environmental success... Environmental 

conditions along the U.S.-Mexico border are a shared 

concern among all states that benefit from international 

trade and economic development between the U.S. and 

Mexico...ECOS strongly supports the Border 2012 Programs and the progress it has made improving public 

health and the environment in the U.S.-Mexico Border 

region.” 

Environmental Council of the States 

“Pala is committed to helping bring clean water and improving the health of fellow tribal members in Mexico, 

insuring they’re able to improve their quality of life and 

better care for their community members, while continuing to live on their ancestral lands.” 

Pala Band of Mission Indians 

“The Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program 

has proven to be a very effective and well structured 

model for supporting the implementation of sustainable 

solutions to the environmental and health problems facing the border region, through the committed and direct 

involvement of federal, state and local stakeholders. For 

BECC, continuing to support the implementation of special projects identified through the program remains a 

high priority.” 

Border Environment Cooperation Commission 

(BECC) 
Acknowledgements
 

The Border 2012 Program would like to thank all the individuals who 

have worked with the program, and those that continue to work 

with the program, for their leadership, dedication, and hard work; 

without these devoted individuals, many of the accomplishments 

highlighted in this report would not have been possible. The 

program would also like to thank the various individuals, partners 

and organizations whose support was essential to the completion 

of the Biennial Implementation and Mid-Term Report. 

CALIFORNIA OKLAHOMA 

ARIZONA 

San Diego NEW MEXICO 

Calexico 

Tijuana Mexicali Yuma 

San Luis 

Rio Colorado 

BAJA 

CALIF. 

Douglas El Paso 

Nogales Naco 

Columbus 

Nogales Naco 

Agua 

Las 

Palomas Ciudad 

Juárez 

Sunland 

Park 

TEXAS 

Prieta 

Presidio 

SONORA Ojinaga Del Rio 

Ciudad Acuña 

Eagle Pass 

BAJA Piedras 

CALIF. CHIHUAHUA Negras 

SUR 

Laredo 

Pacific Ocean Nuevo Gulf of

Gulf of Laredo Mexico 

California 

COAHUILA McAllen SINALOA Brownsville Reynosa Matamoros 

DURANGO 

NUEVO 

LEÓN 

ZACATECAS TAMAULIPAS 

U.S.-Mexico Border Region 
Contents 

Introduction 2 

Water 4 

Air 8 

Land 12 

Environmental Health 16 

Emergency Preparedness and Response 20 

Compliance and Enforcement 24 

Contacts List and Acronyms 28 

This report is also available on the Internet at www.epa.gov/border2012 
2 

Introduction 

In April 2003, EPA, SEMARNAT, the 10 

Border States, and 26 U.S. tribes agreed 

to renew our collective commitment to 

improve environmental conditions along 

the 2000-mile border. This commitment is 

embodied in the U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 

Program, which includes six goals that address reduction of pollution in our air, water 

and land, improving environmental health, 

reducing exposure to chemicals from accidental releases or terrorism and improving 

environmental performance through compliance, pollution prevention and the promotion of environmental stewardship. 

Since the signing of Border 2012, this 10­

year, binational, results-oriented environmental program has focused on supporting 

binational efforts that engage in collaborative and consensus-driven commitments 

and projects that will result in sustainable 

and tangible environmental benefits. 

This report describes environmental improvements along the border from 2003­

2005 attributable to the Border 2012 program. It also details the region’s unique 

environmental challenges and the projects 

and programs addressing these issues. 

Finally, the report outlines the overall program investment from 2003 to 2005. During 

these years, over $8.1 million was invested 

in 109 projects along the border. The projects implemented address environmental 

problems along the border in a variety of innovative ways. 

Tribal governments play an integral role in 

identifying priorities and participating in 

program activities, while also hosting tribal 

caucus meetings to foster involvement in 

the program. Active tribal leadership and 

participation in the program has led to the 

successful completion of projects that have 

provided thousands of tribal border residents’ access to safe drinking water and 

wastewater infrastructure, and removed 

tons of solid waste. 

Participation from the 10 Border States 

has also been instrumental in ensuring the 

program’s success. Through active participation and leadership, the 10 Border States 

have expedited the availability of ultra-low 

sulfur diesel fuel along the border and have 

consistently provided valuable recommendations on program modifications and establishing priorities that facilitate the Border 

2012 program’s progress. 

Environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources along the border 

can be linked to many factors, including 

population growth, increased industry and 

lack of infrastructure. Increased economic 

activity has resulted in increased population 

and infrastructure needs. Since 1996, the 

population of the 24 U.S. border counties 

has increased nearly 30 percent. In 2000, 

the estimated population of the entire border 

region was 11.8 million and projections indicate the population is expected to increase 

to approximately 16.8 million by 2020. 

Goal #1 

Reduce Water Contamination 

Goal #2 

Reduce Air Pollution 

Goal #3 

Reduce Land Contamination 

 

Three of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States are along the 

U.S. Mexico border. While the border region 

has seen tremendous growth, it has not 

seen proportionate prosperity; for example, 

the unemployment rate along the U.S. side 

of the Texas-Mexico border is 250-300 percent higher than in the rest of the country. 

Measuring Environmental 

Conditions 

To achieve Border 2012 goals and objectives, it is essential that all actions taken by 

program partners have concrete and measurable results. The Border 2012 framework 

document calls for the development of environmental and performance indicators to 

measure these results. To accomplish this, 

the program established a Border Indicators 

Task Force. 

The role of the Indicators Task Force is to 

collaborate with all Border 2012 coordinating bodies and partners to generate 

and use objective indicators to measure 

program progress and assess changes 

in the region’s conditions. Ongoing review 

of these indicators will provide local communities, partners, and decision-makers 

with informative tools that can help shape 

research, public health and environmental 

policy priorities. To guide the border indicator effort, the Border Indicator Task Force 

and the Environmental Health Work Group 

prepared a Strategy for Indicator Development. It is available online at www.epa.gov/ 

border2012/indicators.htm 

State of the Border Region Indicators Report, 2005 

Through a collaborative and iterative review 

process, the Indicators Task Force developed protocols to identify, select and use 

a set of binational indicators. The resulting 

State of the Border Region Report informs 

communities and stakeholders in the region about the state of the environment and 

progress made to address the six goals of 

the Border 2012 Program. The report incorporates environmental and public health 

information in the following areas: water, 

air, land, emergency preparedness and response, and enforcement and compliance. 

Twenty-three indicators are presented in an 

easy-to-understand format with brief data 

source information below each indicator. 

This initial Binational Set of Indicators will 

be refined over time by modifying existing indicators or incorporating additional 

indicators. 

The State of the Border Region Indicators Report will be available online at 

www.epa.gov/border2012 

State of the Border Region 

BORDER 2012: U.S.-MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM 

Indicators Report 2005

Goal #4 

Improve Environmental Health 

Goal #5 

Reduce Exposure to Chemicals as 

a Result of Accidental Chemical 

Releases and/or Acts of Terrorism 

Goal #6 

Improve Environmental Performance 

through Compliance, Enforcement, 

Pollution Prevention, and Promotion of 

Environmental Stewardship 

For a detailed description of Border 2012 Goals and Objectives, please visit us on the web at www.epa.gov/border2012 
4 

Water 

Challenges Along the Border 

In northern Mexico, significant industrial development that fueled regional job growth, combined with 

an ongoing southwesterly migration in the U.S., has 

resulted in a population surge near the border. 

The new industrial employment opportunities have 

resulted in makeshift housing that has sprung up 

near industrial parks in large Mexican northern border cities providing imperfect housing lacking basic 

services. 

Many of these unincorporated communities with sub 

standard housing conditions, called colonias in the 

United States and periferia in Mexico, lack adequate 

sanitation and drinking water services; outhouses 

are often the only available means of sewage disposal. Pollutants from both countries contaminate 

shared waters due to inadequate sewage treatment. 

In rural areas, agricultural runoff and chemical waste 

pollute drinking water. 

With population continuing to rise and groundwater 

tables depleting at rapid rates, binational cooperation and sustainable infrastructure continue to be the 

biggest challenges along the border. 

Although shared waterways have benefited from infrastructure improvements, sewage and other contaminants continue to pollute binational aquifers, 

surface waters and coastal waters. 

In Nogales, Sonora, the sewer system does not 

provide service to all residents. Spills from the antiquated sewer system combined with discharges 

from unsewered homes cause raw sewage to flow 

into the binational Nogales Wash. The inadequate 

storm drain system results in frequent flooding during heavy rains. The water quality problems caused 

by these deficiencies in infrastructure significantly 

impact Nogales, Sonora, and the downstream city 

of Nogales, Arizona. 

U.S. and Mexican federal governments, the U.S. 

represented by EPA and Mexico by SEMARNAT, 

provide direct assistance to border communities for 

water and wastewater infrastructure. 

Investment Along the Border 

The U.S. and Mexico have invested millions of dollars to build adequate water and wastewater infrastructure; to date these improvements are impacting 

over 6.7 million border residents. These infrastructure improvements not only improve water quality, 

but also preserve shared waterways, prevent beach 

closures, provide safe drinking water, and protect 

human health. Between 2003 and 2005, EPA approved Border Environment Infrastructure Fund 

(BEIF) grants for 11 water projects that are estimated 

to benefit over 1.6 million people. During this period, 

nine BEIF projects funded in previous years completed construction. The nine drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects improved services for 

over 1.5 million people. 

Mexico’s 2001-2006 National Development Plan, 

under President Vicente Fox’s Federal Administration, identified the border region as a high priority. 

The joint investments on drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for Mexican communities from 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006 

Jan. 2002 – June 2002: EPA, SEMARNAT, 10 Sep. 2002 – Nov. 2002: Public Comment Period 

States and U.S. Tribes negotiate Border 2012 On Draft Border 2012 Program: Public Meetings 

Draft Framework. Partners agree to create held in 19 different border cities; over 1,000 

Drafting Committee to develop Border 2012 plan comments were received during this time 

 

2001 to 2005 — with funds from the National Water Commission, border states, municipalities, EPA, 

BECC and NADBank — was 5,268.7 million pesos 

(approximately $500,000,000 USD). Over 80 percent 

of these funds were invested from 2003 to 2005. 

Twenty percent of the total investment was from binational resources, including BEIF grants and NADBank loans. The bulk of the funds, approximately 

80 percent, were provided by the Mexican federal 

government and border states. These investments, 

along with considerable performance improvements 

from many water utilities, resulted in increased access to drinking water and wastewater treatment 

for many of Mexico’s border communities. In large 

part, these achievements are due to the collaboration between EPA and Comisión National del Agua 

(CONAGUA) through the Border Drinking Water and 

Wastewater Infrastructure Program, the support of 

border states, tribes and municipalities, and the participation of both the BECC and NADBank. 

Projects and Results 

In the past three years, Border 2012 funds implemented 22 projects throughout the border region to 

assess surface water quality, protect shared waterways, gauge the effectiveness of innovative wastewater treatment technologies, and provide training 

to border residents, municipal workers, and others on water system upkeep and basic sanitation 

practices. 

Approximately 30 percent of water projects focused on building capacity along the border, which 

included training wastewater utility operators and 

developing a wastewater database. Education and 

outreach projects made up roughly 15 percent of 

the projects, including a watershed education program in California-Baja California, in which a team 

of trained bilingual educators are teaching over 500 

students on watershed protection, monitoring, and 

public health. To address the drinking water needs in 

Texas’s colonias, El Paso’s Centro de Salud, trained 

colonia residents in proper water purification techniques and distributed educational, environmental 

health information. 

Three projects totaling $180,000 in funding focused 

on the Rio Grande. The river, a natural boundary 

dividing the two nations along the Texas-Mexico 

border, stretches for over 1,200 miles. Both nations 

draw from its waters to serve agricultural, industrial, 

and drinking water needs making its use, protection, and sustainability extremely important. The Rio 

Grande projects focused on a variety of issues including developing a framework for sustainable use, 

assessing the impact of infrastructure to the river, 

and finally, identifying the chemical and microbial impact of wastewater on the river’s water quality. 

Partnering for Success: 

Regional Efforts 

Each Regional Workgroup convened public meetings along the border to hear communities’ concerns and develop plans to address pertinent issues. Work plans were established and often, new 

groups evolved. The workgroups play another important role - providing project support. The TexasCoahuila-Nuevo León-Tanaulipas workgroup has 

supported the Eagle Pass, Matamoros, and Nuevo 

Laredo water infrastructure projects and increased 

the availability of drinking water to residents via the 

Texas Colonias Initiatives program. Information exchange is also a vital aspect of workgroup success. 

For example, New Mexico-Texas-Chihuahua’s concerns about high fluoride levels in the ColumbusPalomas groundwater basin prompted the workgroup to identify the need for exchange of binational 

groundwater data. 

Border-wide Efforts 

The Water Policy Forum, guided by binational priorities, addresses border-wide policy issues and 

resources for projects that emphasize pollution prevention. Highlights of this effort include: 

•	 Binational agreement on the need and purpose 

of a Geographic Information System (GIS) water 

quality database 

•		 Development of first phase of a water quality database for the border area’s watersheds 

•	 Binational agreement on the selection of 14 parameters to assess water quality 

•		 Alternative means for evaluating the efficiencies 

of the border area water utilities; 

•	 Various studies from 2003-2004 of various aspects of water utilities in seven communities by 

the NADBank’s Institutional Development Cooperation Program 

New River, Mexicali, B.C. 

Considered one of the 

most polluted rivers in 

North America, the New 

River flows from Mexicali 

into the U.S. through 

Calexico; agricultural 

runoff, raw sewage and 

industrial solvents pollute 

this shared waterway. 

EPA, SEMARNAT, 

California, and Baja 

California continue to 

work together to restore 

the river’s condition 

Jan. 2003: Border 2012 Drafting Committee, 

made up of representatives from 10 border 

states, 26 tribes, EPA and SEMARNAT, develop 

final Border 2012 framework incorporating 

comments from Public Comment Period. 

April 2003: Border 2012 Signing Ceremony 

EPA, SEMARNAT, 10 States, 26 U.S. Tribes and 

partners commit to environmental results along 

the border 
e B

r

A

6 

Tribal & Indigenous Communities: 

Providing Tribes with Access 

to Safe Drinking Water, Sewage 

Treatment and Protecting 

Shared Waterways 

Tribal and indigenous communities along the border 

also lack safe drinking water and basic wastewater 

sanitation. Nearly all the indigenous communities 

in the Mexico border region do not have access to 

safe drinking water and basic sanitation. EPA’s Tribal 

Border Infrastructure Program has funded 39 projects for 15 U.S. tribes in the California and Arizona 

border region, providing access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation for over 32,000 people. 

Mexican indigenous communities are also receiving 

water infrastructure improvements. The Quitovac 

potable water project provides drinking water for a 

small community and a tribal boarding school. Using Border 2012 funds, the Tohono O’odham Utility 

Authority constructed the water distribution system. 

In addition, the project rehabilitated a drinking water well, increased the water storage facilities, and 

improved the wastewater treatment facilities for the 

boarding school. To increase capacity, a 3,000 gallon water storage tank was installed and groundwater protection measures were implemented. 

At a cost of $30 per home, the Tohono O’odham 

Utility Authority installed continuous chlorination 

units for 71 drinking water sources on the reservation, previously chlorination occurred monthly or 

only once every three months. These units ensure 

that the water serving 20,000 residents is safe to 

drink. 

In partnership with EPA and the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture Rural Development, the San Pasqual 

Band of Mission Indians built a new drinking water 

system, including a water treatment plant, a storage 

tank, and new water mains to replace substandard 

lines. The new system, serves 960 residents in 192 

homes and provides safe pressures throughout the 

system to prevent contamination. The booster fire 

pump was connected the day before the Paradise 

Spotlight: Water 

June 2003: First California-Baja, California 

Regional Workgroup Meeting: Seven task 

forces created, including: Waste/Enforcement, 

Water, Two Air, Two Emergency Response and 

Environmental Education 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

April 2003: Good Neighbor Board Report: U.S.­

Mexico Border Environment 

US-M xico order Environment 2002 

Sixth Report of the 

Good Neighbor Environmental Board to the P esident and Congress 

of the United States 

pril 2003 

The Colorado River 

extends more than 1400 

miles through four U.S. 

states and Mexico. The 

river is used for drinking 

water, energy, agriculture 

and recreation. Rapid 

development has 

degraded the quality of 

water in the Colorado 

River 

 

Fire swept through the reservation in October 2004, 

allowing many homes to be saved. 

The Pechanga Tribe constructed a trunk sewer line 

to serve government buildings and approximately 

90 homes. The sewer replaces septic systems that 

posed a contamination threat to the shallow alluvial 

aquifer—the tribe’s sole source of drinking water. 

The project will also extend sewer lines to serve the 

90 homes on the reservation. 

Baja California indigenous communities completed 

an assessment of the drinking water supply and 

possible sources of water contamination. The assessment, completed in partnership with the Pala 

Band of Mission Indians, the Baja California Intertribal Council and others, identified significant drinking water contamination in six of seven indigenous 

communities. Subsequently, Mexico’s Comisión 

Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas (National Commission for the Development of 

Indigenous Communities, CDI) provided $900,000 

and EPA provided $66,000 to construct new drinking water infrastructure for these communities. 

Five Quitovac students 

benefit from cleaner 

drinking water and 

wastewater infrastructure 

Quitovac’s new water 

storage tank has 

increased storage to 

three days; the new water 

system uses solar and 

wind power 

Aug. 2003: First Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo LeonTamaulipas Regional Work Group Meeting Aug. 2003: First Binational Tribal Caucus 

Meeting in San Diego: Meeting established tribal 

engagement, leadership and communication on 

Border affairs 
8 

Air 

Challenges Along the Border 

Air quality is a major concern throughout the border region. The pressures associated with industrial 

and population growth, increasing numbers of old 

vehicles, differences in governance and regulatory 

frameworks, and topographic and meteorological conditions present a challenging context for air 

quality management. Common sources of pollutants 

include motor vehicles, power plants, industrial facilities, agricultural operations, dust from unpaved 

roads, and open burning of trash and agricultural 

fields. The most common and damaging pollutants 

from these sources include sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (both PM and PM ), nitrogen diox­ 10 2.5

ide, ground-level ozone, and carbon monoxide. All 

of these pollutants degrade urban and regional air 

quality in the border region and contribute to the 

challenge. 

Investment Along the Border 

Investments in air quality improvement along the 

border follow two broad strategies. Between 2003 

and today, the Border 2012 Program partners have 

continued to focus investments on building the infrastructure and information necessary for sciencebased decisions on priorities and control strategies. 

This includes support for emission inventories and 

real-time binational air quality monitoring networks. 

Second, investments support priority initiatives, 

such as clean diesel and road paving that reduce 

or eliminate actual and potential sources of air pollution. Many funded projects include a component for 

building capacity for sustainable progress in the priority areas. U.S. federal funds often leverage or are 

matched by other funds from Mexico or U.S. state 

and local governments, and in some cases by border partners who provide in-kind services. 

Projects and Results 

Projects and partnerships promoted through the 

Border 2012 Program are contributing significant 

progress towards environmental results. Examples 

where projects have led to measurable improvements in air quality are in Douglas, Arizona and El 

Paso, Texas, where each city is undergoing formal 

re-designation of “attainment” for national ambient 

air quality standards for certain pollutants. 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Oct. 2003: San Diego/Tijuana Sister-city 

Emergency Contingency Plan Signing 

Ceremony: Signed agreement on binational 

response between the City and County of San 

Diego and Tijuana 

Oct. 2003: Texas Commission on Environmental 

Quality (TCEQ) hosts Border Hazardous 

Materials/Waste Seminars 

 

A number of Border 2012 projects are yielding pollution reductions from specific sources such as diesel 

engines, old vehicles, unpaved roads, brick kilns, 

and power plants. 

Unpaved roads contribute to high levels of particulate 

pollution in several communities along the border. 

Border 2012 projects are working to demonstrate 

new paving applications, such as using rubberized 

asphalt in Ciudad Juarez. In addition, the NADBank 

has recently funded road-paving projects in several 

municipalities in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua 

and Tamaulipas, through $90 million in loan monies 

to fund $221 million in paving projects. 

While diesel emissions, older vehicles, and unpaved 

roads all present air quality challenges along the 

border, many other challenges exist. For example, 

projects in Chihuahua, Sonora and Baja California 

focus on reducing emissions from traditional brick 

kilns. Recently, a private company invested nearly $1 

million to construct new brick kilns in Ciudad Juarez 

based on design work supported by the Border 

2012 Program. Additional Border 2012 projects are 

demonstrating the potential for producing biodiesel 

in border communities to reduce particle emissions. 

The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Tribe has implemented a 

pilot project to collect waste vegetable oil and use 

the fuel on a test vehicle. Other border projects are 

exploring ways to increase fuel efficiency through 

measures such as the Smartway Program that lowers fuel consumption in trucks fitted with fuel saving 

devices. 

Partnering for Success 

Among successes of the Border 2012 Program are 

the binational partnerships that have formed to meet 

the program’s goals. Part of the success lies in the 

fact that these partnerships exist at all levels-national, regional and local. The Air Policy Forum was 

formed to provide a binational forum for discussing 

air quality issues along the U.S.-Mexico border. The 

forum has worked to identify and prioritize common 

goals and build consensus about the federal actions 

needed to address binational priorities. Over the past 

two years the forum has begun to narrow its focus 

on: 1) improving air quality and meeting both U.S. 

and Mexican air quality standards (National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Normas de calidad del 

aire en Mexico) through regulatory, market-based, 

and voluntary approaches by developing emission 

inventories, developing and/or maintaining air quality monitoring networks and 2) through air emission 

reduction projects. The forum seeks to strengthen 

collaboration among border air quality stakeholders 

by facilitating information exchange and coordination 

across a broad network of programs and projects, 

the majority of them at the regional and local levels. 

Regional Workgroups have supported forum 

priorities by helping border-wide stakeholders 

implement emission reduction and science-enhancing projects. One recently completed project examined the effects of diesel exposure and 

traffic-related air pollution on asthmatic children 

in Ciudad Juarez. 

Spotlight: Air
 

Air Quality Management 

Science based air quality management tools are essential in air quality 

planning and implementation. Both emissions inventories and ambient monitoring networks are fundamental elements of a successful air 

quality management program. EPA and SEMARNAT have continually 

supported the development and use of both of these tools along the 

border to evaluate potential control strategies in the region and fulfill 

the goals set forth in the Border 2012 Plan, Recently, the air quality management plan, PROAIRE, for Ciudad Juarez was unveiled by 

Mexican Environmental Minister Jose Luis Luege Tamargo defining 23 

actions that will take place from 2006–2012 to improve the region’s air 

quality. The document includes recommendations made by the Joint 

Advisory Committee based on emission inventory analysis. 

Emissions Inventory 

On Thursday, June 9, 2005, in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 

the Instituto Nacional de Ecologia, a division of SEMARNAT, unveiled 

the first air emissions inventory for the six northern states of Mexico 

bordering the United States. This baseline emissions inventory was developed to increase the understanding of emissions sources located in 

Northern Mexico and to support air quality assessments. It is a product 

of binational government partnerships completed through collaborative efforts between the U.S. and Mexico. Later that year a ten-state 

inventory, including the four states on the U.S. side of the border, was 

developed with a special focus on the 100-km border region. Both 

inventories will help federal, state and local governments, as well as, 

academic institutions and private sector industries, to better understand, analyze and improve air quality in the border region. 

In September 2006, the first emissions inventory for the entire country 

of Mexico (MNEI) was published. As part of the inventory development, 

a version of the mobile sources non-road model for Mexico was also 

completed. This model can be used throughout Mexico to calculate 

non-road emissions. In addition, development of online training materials for Mexican state officials has begun. The report is available 

online at www.erg.com/mnei/ (User ID: mexico; Password: emissions 

[all lower case]). 

Dec. 2003: National Coordinators Meeting 

(NCM), Matamoros, Mexico: First Border 

2012 NCM, coordinating bodies present their 

implementation plans and priorities 

Jan. 2004: First Arizona-Sonora Regional 

Workgroup Meeting: Created five task forces 

(Air, Water, Waste/Enforcement, Emergency 

Preparedness and Children’s Environmental 

Health). Implementation Plan is released 
’ 

10 

Ambient Air Monitoring Networks 

PM10 and ozone continue to be the most persistent 

and pervasive pollutants found in the border region. 

A number of urban areas, with air monitoring networks, remain out of compliance with national air 

quality standards. EPA, SEMARNAT, the 10 Border 

States, 26 U.S. tribes and Mexican indigenous communities continue to support many binational ambient air monitoring networks in the border region, 

providing valuable information on air quality trends 

and assisting in identifying emission reduction strategies. In the California-Baja California Region, EPA 

is working with the California Air Resources Board, 

the Baja California Secretariat for Environmental 

Protection (SPA) and SEMARNAT to transfer the 

operation and maintenance of an extensive ambient monitoring network in Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito 

and Mexicali to the Baja California SPA. In 2004, the 

participating agencies signed a Memorandum of 

Understanding memorializing their intent to transfer 

the network by 2007. 

While most monitoring occurs in urban areas, because tribes are experiencing air quality degradation, many have implemented extensive air quality 

programs. The Pala Band of Mission Indians, La 

Posta Band of Indians, Yselta del Sur Pueblo, and 

Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians all have air 

monitoring programs. 

Recent efforts to provide real time reporting of air 

quality has also enabled residents along the border 

to obtain air quality and health information on a realtime basis. In Northern Baja California, Southern 

California and El Paso/Ciudad Juarez, residents are 

able to make informed decisions about their daily 

activities based on air quality data in their area. Visit 

these sites for more information: http://aire.bajacalifornia.gob.mx, http://www.sdapcd.org/, http:// 

imperialvalleyair.org, and http://www.tceq.state. 

tx.us/cgi-bin/compliance/monops/monitors?06 

Diesel Emission Reductions 

Because of the relatively large contribution of pollutants from diesel emissions, particularly PM10, PM2.5 

and ozone, significant investments have been made 

in emissions testing, retrofits, and collaboration to 

reduce these emissions. In January 2006, Mexico 

modified its fuel standard for gasoline and diesel fuels. An accelerated calendar was included for the 

border region, with the goal to provide ultra low sulfur diesel to the border region by January 2007. 

Emissions Testing 

In June 2005, the Texas Transportation Institute 

of Texas A&M University led a study to measure 

emissions from diesel trucks at ports of entry in El 

Paso-Ciudad Juárez. In a similar project in Nogales, 

opacimeters and other remote devices were used to 

estimate the emissions from 13,000 trucks passing 

through the Nogales Port of Entry. The objective of 

these studies was to demonstrate the use of emerging technologies to assist in developing emissions 

profiles of trucks crossing the border. This information will be used to develop strategies to minimize 

wait times on these bridges, thereby reducing air 

emissions due to idling. 

Diesel Retrofits 

The San Diego Air Pollution Control District is retrofitting sixty heavy-duty diesel trucks from Tijuana 

with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs). These reduce 

PM10 by 25 percent. In addition, the Laredo Independent School District is modifying 50 school buses to 

burn ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, while the Rio Rico, 

Spotlight: Air 

Mexico’s first Emissions 

Inventory 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Feb. 2004: Good Neighbor Board releases a 

report on children’s environmental health along 

the U.S.-Mexico Border 

Seventh Report of the 

Good Neighbor Environmental Board to the President and Congress of the United States 

February 2004 

Childrens Environmental Health: 

Spotlight on the U.S.-Mexico Border 

Jan. 2004: Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, 

Arizona Sister-city Emergency Contingency 

Plan updated and signed. Signed agreement on 

binational response between the two cities 
11 

Arizona school district is implementing a similar project. These two projects will reduce school children’s 

exposure to fine particulate matter and serve as a 

demonstration project for other school districts on 

both sides of the border. All three of these projects 

were funded from Border 2012 funds. 

Collaboration 

The West Coast Diesel Collaborative (in EPA Regions 9 and 10) and the Blue Skyways Collaborative (in EPA Regions 6 and 7) are initiatives that will 

improve the quality of life in North America by reducing air pollution through fuel innovations and 

green energy technology. The collaboratives have 

developed partnerships among international (both 

Mexico and Canada are active participants), federal, 

state and local governments, non-profit organizations, environmental groups and the private sector. 

The partnerships will reduce emissions throughout 

North America by sharing technology and leveraging financial resources. 

A retrofitted truck boasts 

its clean air technology 

Remote sensing 

technology allows air 

technicians to gather 

data on trucks crossing 

the border without 

holding up traffic 

April 2004: 10 Border States Retreat, Ensanada, 

Mexico 

May 2004: Binational Tire Pile Cleanup 

Commitment. EPA, SEMARNAT, BECC and 

Baja, Calif., celebrate kickoff of tire pile cleanups 

along the border 
12 

Land 

Challenges Along the Border 

Inadequate waste management infrastructure, in 

addition to ongoing problems like makeshift waste 

dumps, unsupervised waste sites, scrap tire pile fires 

and other factors contaminate the land along the 

border. For example, the steady demand in Mexico 

for used tires from the U.S. makes border cities host 

to temporary tire piles containing millions of scrap 

tires. The tire piles are fire hazards that can generate 

acute air and water pollution. Tire piles also serve as 

ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, rodents and 

other vermin that are vectors for the spread of West 

Nile virus and malaria. The Border 2012 program addresses tire piles, adequate waste disposal facilities 

and proper handling of hazardous waste. 

Investment Along the Border 

From 2003-2005 over $2.1 million was invested 

along the border on 23 projects aimed at reducing 

land contamination. Tire pile cleanups and improving scrap tire management practices made up 35 

percent of projects; 30 percent dealt with hazardous 

waste activities; over 22 percent funded strategy development, waste reduction and recycling programs, 

and 13 percent funded contaminated site cleanups. 

Land contamination cleanup funds are roughly 25 

percent of total Border 2012 project funding. 

Projects and Results 

More than $1.3 million supported hazardous and 

municipal waste activities. These projects included 

tire pile and contaminated site cleanups; port-ofentry inspection and compliance assistance training 

programs; hazardous waste reduction; and tracking 

hazardous waste imports and exports. 

Over $480,000 was invested in eight projects dealing with tire pile cleanups, and tire reuse projects, 

including feasibility studies and demonstration projects. Tire pile cleanups removed approximately 2.2 

million tires, many of which were sent to cement 

kilns as tire-derived fuel (TDF); others were used in 

demonstration projects and feasibility studies to assess the economic viability of reuse. Although the 

tire pile cleanups have made a significant impact, tire 

piles continue to grow. In Ciudad Juarez, home to 

the largest tire pile in the border region (4 - 5 million), 

each month 60,000 tires are removed from the pile, 

but 30,000 tires are added. Currently, the Border 

2012 Program is also working to develop a scrap tire 

management strategy to serve as a framework for 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Aug. 2004: Binational Forum on Air and Wastes: 

BECC-sponsored event focusing on vehicle 

emissions and solid waste reduction 

Jun. 2004: EPA, SEMARNAT and Baja California 

commit to cleanup of Metales y Derivados site, 

cleanup of tire piles and transfer of air monitoring 

networks to Baja, California 
1
 

improving scrap tire management in the border area 

and to prevent the creation of more tire piles. 

Nearly $200,000 supported waste inventory projects, waste strategy development, waste reduction 

and recycling programs. One project targets colonias in the New Mexico/Texas/Chihuahua area by 

utilizing Geographic Placement System (GPS) data 

and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis 

to develop a strategy to prevent illegal dumping. 

An additional $125,000 funded other cleanup projects along the border. In the states of New Mexico, 

Texas and Chihuahua illegal dumpsites were cleaned 

up. In Arizona and Sonora, one project cleaned up 

trash left by undocumented migrants in the Tohono 

O’odham Nation, while another will clean up a contaminated copper mine. 

Partnering for Success: 

Regional Efforts 

The four regional workgroups held public meetings 

to hear citizen concerns and identify needs. In October 2004, the Border 2012 program sponsored 

a brownfields workshop in El Paso, Texas which 

provided grant training and funding opportunities 

to both U.S. and Mexican partners. The diverse 

stakeholders attending the workshop stimulated binational coordination and efforts in brownfields’ redevelopment. Mexico has offered to host the next 

Brownfields workshop. 

Border-wide Efforts 

Border-wide efforts have made tremendous progress 

in coordination, information exchange and prioritization of issues. With input from Regional Workgroups 

and Task Forces, the Waste Policy Forum tackled a 

variety of waste-related issues. Highlights include: 

•		 Developing an action plan that identifies and 

prioritizes actions to improve institutional and 

infrastructure capacity for waste management 

and pollution prevention. The plan focuses developing capacity to prevent scrap tire piles, better management of selected waste streams, and 

enhancing municipal waste landfills 

•	 Producing a report describing the Mexican and 

U.S. systems for tracking transboundary movements of hazardous waste. This report has informed efforts to improve transboundary waste 

tracking 

•	 Developing a binational policy on the cleanup or 

revitalization of contaminated sites in the border 

area. 

Spotlight: Land
 

Metales y Derivados Cleanup Projects 

Metales y Derivados is an abandoned lead recovery facility, which recovered 

lead from vehicle batteries and other materials containing lead. The Metales 

site is zoned for light industry and close to Tijuana’s Colonia Chilpancingo, 

home to over 10,000 residents. The facility was shut down in 1989 by PROFEPA and SEMARNAT due to substandard hazardous waste management 

of lead slag and metal-laden battery casings. Consequently, the U.S. owner 

abandoned the facility. In April 2005, the state of Baja California expropriated the site and is now responsible for its remediation. 

A Metales y Derivados Technical Workgroup was formed in June 2004 after 

Mexico signed a declaration of cooperation and commitment to remediate 

the Metales site and create a transparent process to inform and involve the 

community on the cleanup. The Workgroup proposed a four-phase remedial plan involving: 

Phase 1: Removal Action: remove waste posing highest risk to the public 

Phase 2: Cleanup Alternative Analysis: analyze and select preferred cleanup 

remedy 

Phase 3: Design Remedy: prepare cleanup design and award engineering 

contract 

Phase 4: Complete Cleanup: implement remedy (from Phase 2); restore 

property to productive use 

This four-phase process is underway. To date, Phase 1 and 2 are complete 

and Phase 3 is underway. Accomplishments include the removal of 2,000 

tons of hazardous waste and recycling 50 tons of lead smelter process 

equipment in Mexico. The installation of fencing and warning signs in adAbove: Metales site prior to cleanup 

Below: Metales site after cleanup 

Sep. 2004: San Diego/Tijuana Diesel Retrofit 

Project kick-off. San Diego Air Pollution Control 

District received a check to begin retrofits of 

diesel trucks in San Diego/Tijuana 

Sep. 2004: Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo LeonTamaulipas Regional Work Group Meeting 
14 

Spotlight: Land 

dition to community outreach and education on the 

facility’s hazards has increased awareness and reduced the risk to neighbors. 

As part of the project’s second phase, EPA and 

SEMARNAT completed a baseline human health 

risk assessment and field sampling to fill data gaps. 

Site characterization and risk assessment are both 

essential to better understand exposure sources 

and pathways that pose a public health risk. The 

Technical Workgroup will design remediation strategies that consider risk reduction and eliminating 

exposure pathways. 

Border-wide Tire Pile 

Management Strategy 

Improper management and disposal of scrap tires 

is creating significant environmental problems in the 

border area. The California Integrated Waste Management Board, in partnership with Baja California 

stakeholders is currently undertaking an 18-month 

study to evaluate the economic benefit and environmental challenges posed by the used tire trade phenomenon. Once completed, the study will provide 

data that can be used as a tool in developing policy 

on used and waste tires. 

Tire piles present serious land contamination, health 

and potential air quality issues in the border area. 

Cleanup of these piles is a Border 2012 and Binational Commission priority. Tire pile fires can last 

weeks to months, causing severe air pollution from 

the dense smoke and noxious fumes emitted. Tire 

fires also generate large amounts of liquid wastes 

which can contaminate soils, ground water and surface water. In addition, tire piles serve as breeding 

ground for mosquitoes, rodents and other disease 

vectors. The West Nile virus, dengue fever and malaria have already been associated with tire piles in 

the eastern U.S.-Mexico border regions. 

The border region economy is expected to continue 

growing, and scrap tires are expected to be generated in even larger quantities. Even with the efforts 

of both nations, a binational tire management strategy is critical. 

During a November 2004 Binational border visit, 

former SEMARNAT Minister Cardenas and former 

EPA Administrator Leavitt signed a Letter of Intent to 

develop a Comprehensive Scrap Tire Management 

Strategy. The purpose of this strategy is to improve 

effective management of scrap tires in the border 

area and throughout Mexico. This strategy will also 

provide guidance to continue cleanup efforts on 

both sides of the border, and beyond. 

The strategy consists of six proposed actions that 

meet Border 2012 Program goals and four basic 

principles. Some of the proposed actions are already underway in both countries, either independently, or jointly under Border 2012. However, with 

the strategy, both countries will be clear and consistent on the basic principles, and the short and longterm actions that are necessary to properly manage scrap tires. Further, the strategy will help both 

countries leverage existing resources. After signing 

the strategy, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to seek 

funding and implement the strategy. 

Tire Pile Cleanup 

The cleanup of abandoned tire piles is a significant 

binational border priority because of the known public and environmental threats. One of the largest tire 

piles in the whole border region is the Juárez pile, 

with approximately 4 - 5 million tires. In the California/Baja California region, the largest tire piles were 

Centinela, with 1.2 million tires and INNOR, with 

over 400,000 tires. 

Working in cooperation with local and state governments and industry, cleanups at all three of the 

largest tire piles along the border are underway or 

completed. Cleanup at the INNOR tire pile in the 

Mexicali area is complete. Cleanup of approximately 

900,000 tires from the 1.2 million-tire pile at the 

Centinela site, also in the Mexicali area, is underway, 

and the entire tire pile is expected to be completely 

removed at the end of 2006. Both of these projects 

send the waste tires to cement kilns where they are 

used as tire derived fuel. The removal of tire piles 

reduces land contamination and public health risks 

in both Baja California and California. 

In Arizona and Sonora a project removed 40,000 

scrap tires in Agua Prieta. Tires were collected and 

transported by rail to a cement plant and used as 

fuel. The cleanup has reduced land contamination 

and public health risks in Mexico and Arizona. Tire 

pile cleanup is also a priority for tribes along the border. The Pala Band of Mission Indians removed over 

34,000 tires from its reservation and issued a cease 

and desist order to an unlicensed junk yard. 

EPA, SEMARNAT, NADBank, BECC and Ciudad 

Juárez were instrumental in the success of the 

Binational Forum on Air and Wastes held in SepBorder Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Oct. 2004: Air Policy Forum Meeting: Break­ Oct. 2004: Border Binational Health Week 

out sessions focused on seeking local/regional 

consensus on Air Policy direction for six broad 

areas 
1
 

tember 2004 in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. Under 

an agreement, SEMARNAT, EPA, the state of Chihuahua, and the City of Ciudad Juárez began the 

cleanup of the pile. As a result of this agreement 

over 1 million scrap tires have been removed and 

used as tire derived fuel in a local cement kiln, and 

a road was paved with rubberized asphalt. In addition, EPA is working with BECC, Ciudad Juárez and 

GCC Cemento, S.A. de C.V., Samlayuca, a local cement plant, to remove approximately 620,000 scrap 

tires from the Juárez pile. This project will showcase 

the advantages of using scrap tires for energy in the 

U.S.–Mexico border region. 

In the Lower Rio Grande Valley a project will analyze available tire recycling technology which can be 

used to construct and operate a facility, determine 

local needs for incorporating crumb rubber applicaAbove: INNOR tire pile 

prior to cleanup 

Below: INNOR tire pile 

after cleanup 

tions, and estimate the number of waste scrap tires 

generated annually. 

Texas A&M University in Kingsville is evaluating 

waste tire applications as possible sustainable technology solutions for highway engineering projects. 

The researchers there are testing the use of waste 

tires as roadway subgrade and base material. The 

project will provide science-based information to 

help solid waste managers safely process and reuse the tires. 

The City of Eagle Pass has a project underway to 

remove approximately 50,000 tires, and eliminate 

health and safety hazards associated with tire piles. 

A 50/50 mix of clean fill and tire shreds will be used 

in the construction of concrete flood ditches. 

Nov. 2004: U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission 

Meeting, Mexico. Letter of Cooperation between 

EPA and SEMARNAT signed; State to State 

Partnership 

Nov. 2004: Arizona-Sonora Regional 

Workgroup Meeting. Task Forces present their 

accomplishments and priorities for the coming 

year 
16 

Environmental Health 

Challenges Along the Border 

Socioeconomic factors, demographic distribution, 

high population growth, lack of health insurance and 

environmental degradation along the border create 

a serious need to improve health conditions. Inadequate and often nonexistent environmental infrastructure makes border residents more susceptible 

to higher rates of asthma, hepatitis and spread of 

infectious diseases than the population as a whole. 

For example, tuberculosis in the 24 border counties 

is double the U.S. national average. In Mexico, the 

incidence of tuberculosis along the border is heterogeneous, nevertheless, in Mexicali, for instance, the 

incidence of tuberculosis is three times the national 

average (48.7 cases per 100,000 people). In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, cases of hepatitis A are four 

times as common as the rest of the state; in 2002 

alone, over 700 cases of hepititis A were reported 

in Baja California. Poor air quality can increase the 

incidence of asthma, respiratory ailments, heart disease and diminished lung capacity. Nearly all of the 

24 counties along the border in the U.S. have been 

by the Department of Health and Human Services 

designated health professional shortage areas. 

Projects and Results 

Border 2012 funded seven pesticides-related projects addressing a variety of issues and populations 

along the border. These projects dealt with reducing 

children’s exposure to pesticides through integrated 

pest management programs at border schools, and 

the measurement and analysis of children’s exposure and susceptibility to pesticides. For example, 

the Pala Band of Mission Indians implemented a 

Integrated Pesticides Management Plan, requiring 

pesticide applicators to obtain a permit from the 

tribal office before dispensing pesticides within the 

reservation. Other projects compiled pesticide use 

data and assessed the feasibility of a pesticide poisoning tracking system. Farm worker training was 

another important component of the pesticides projects. Three projects supplied educational materials 

and training to farm workers, while one project provided crop specific data to farm workers and their 

employers on the exposure hazards associated with 

pesticides. 

In Texas, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, an 

environmental education program trained over 100 

teachers from four pairs of border sister cities. Other 

efforts included a lead poisoning prevention campaign in Arizona, the development of an Internet environmental education database for educators, and 

a binational community action plan to educate resiBorder Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Jan. 2005: Environmental Health Workgroup 

and Border Indicators Task Force Joint Meeting 

Jan. 2005: Waste Policy Forum meets in 

Tijuana. Agreements made regarding the 

development of a binational Waste Action Plan 

and policy on clean-up of waste sites 
onmen oar

t 

t

r t 

t

1
 

dents and prevent the spread of West Nile virus and 

dengue fever in New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua. 

Similarly, funds were invested to build the capacity 

of border professionals and residents to respond 

to environmental threats. One project developed a 

binational capacity building course for health care 

providers. Trainers developed environmental health 

skills appropriate for health care response and management along the Border. The course trained one 

hundred physicians on common binational environmental health exposure and corresponding patient care management. Another project organized 

community members among four Hidalgo County 

colonias and helped them assess their environmental health needs. Through these assessments, the 

four Hidalgo County colonias developed a Colonias 

Health Action Plan to engage public and private 

health and infrastructure institutions to resolve the 

identified priority issues. In addition, the Environmental Health Work Group was influential in implementing projects along the border. 

Partnering for Success: 

Border-wide Efforts 

The Environmental Health Work Group serves as a 

main conduit for addressing binational environmental health concerns. The work group’s efforts have 

developed and supported a wide range of projects. 

Four projects funded the development and definition 

of indicators to gauge the health of border residents. 

A key aspect of improving environmental health 

depends on defining indicators of specific human 

health conditions. Once indicators are defined, data 

can be gathered over time to assess changes in human exposure and health conditions due to specific 

environmental interventions. 

In partnership with the U.S. Geological Service 

(USGS) the Border 2012 program has created a new 

environmental health website for the Rio Grande. 

This website, the first of its kind, incorporates environmental and health data from both sides of the 

border into a Geographic Information System (GIS) 

format. The site is a tremendous success, offering 

information to border residents, health care professionals, scientists and policy makers. Due to the 

website’s success, in 2006 it is expanding to include 

the entire border region. To visit the site, go to http:// 

borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/index.html 

The Environmental Health Work Group also supported the Binational Border Health Week. Organized by 

the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission in October of 2004 and 2005, Binational Border Health 

Week brings together more than 29 federal partner 

agencies and programs, and 310 community organizations to promote public health along the border, 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

40 

2003 2004 2005

Border 2012 Goal: 36,000 

Cumulative Number of Farmworkers Trained 

in Safe Pesticide Use in the Border Region, 2003-2005 

Thousands 

Source: Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs/AmeriCorps and Proteus (California, 

Arizona, & New Mexico data) and Texas Department of Agriculture (Texas data) 

13,026 

18,715 

27,683 

Finally, the work group helped fund a number of projects in conjunction with the Health Resource Services Administration, including: 

•	 An analysis of resources currently available in 

selected Community and Migrant Health Centers along the border to determine their level of 

knowledge and need for additional information to 

promote respiratory and cardiovascular health, 

and prevent contamination and disease resulting 

from exposure to airborne contaminants; 

•	 Clinical Impacts of Promotoras-led Education 

on Child Pesticides Exposure. This project will 

develop and test a methodology for assessing 

environmental health education, and the integral 

role of training local women as promotoras for 

community environmental health education, on 

clinical outcomes for children who might be subject to pesticide exposure; 

•	 Establishment of a U.S.-Mexico Border Binational Environmental Health Connections E-Group to 

establish communication among and between 

U.S. and Mexican Health Professionals to: 

–	 Identify common health and environmental 

problems which affect public health along the 

border 

–	 Identify needs which can be addressed 

through collaboration, and 

–	 Share information about solutions and intervention models which have been successful 

among peers in facilitating resolution of problems and addressing needs. 

•	 Disease susceptibility, risk analysis and prevention projects were also funded. These included 

binational surveillance of air pollution-related diseases and environmental health interventions that 

concentrated on lead exposure, water and air 

contamination reduction and risk assessment. 

For more information on Environmental Health Work Group Projects, go to 

www.epa.gov/ehwg 

Source: State of the 

Border Region, Indicators 

Report 200 

particularly environmental health. 

Good Neighbor Envir tal B d 

Water Resources Managemen 

on the U.S.-Mexico Border 

Eighth Repor

 to the P esiden 

and the Congress 

of the United Sta es 

Feb. 2005: Good Neighbor Board Report: Water 

Resources Management on the U.S.-Mexico 

Border 

Feb. 2005: Chihuahua-New Mexico-Texas 

Regional Work Group Meeting 

February 2005 
18 

Spotlight: Environmental Health 

During the handson toxics training, 

two women learn the 

importance of reducing 

children’s exposure 

to toxics and how to 

decrease exposure 

Binational Tracking Network of 

Environmentally Related Diseases 

This project addresses the information gap on diseases associated with environmental exposures 

throughout the Chihuahua-New Mexico-Texas 

Border Region by establishing a pilot program to 

collect data in El Paso, Sunland Park, and Ciudad 

Juarez. An inclusive committee will set criteria for 

the various classes of environmental diseases and 

analyze results to see if links can be established between environmental quality and disease. The first 

phase of the pilot program considers only respiratory-based diseases. The project seeks to improve 

public knowledge and understanding of the relationship between air quality and respiratory diseases. 

The pilot project will initiate a tracking network to 

provide comprehensive data on diseases and their 

relationship to environmental conditions. It will be 

designed to provide common criteria and methodology for the U.S.-Mexico border region on disease 

tracking and data reporting, and possibly develop 

indicators for environmental health. Among the most 

widely mentioned issues in the development of disease tracking networks is the difficulty in developing compatible databases. This project will attempt 

to remove that barrier. For more information, go to 

www.infofrontera.org/btnerd/index.htm 

Pesticides Studies: Pilot Study 

to Measure Neurobehavioral 

Effects of Pesticides in Children 

The purpose of the first pilot pesticide project is to 

identify a field-ready method to evaluate cognitive 

and / or behavioral endpoints in very young children 

living in U.S.-Mexico border communities. The project addresses the need to evaluate young children 

with potentially high exposures to pesticides. Based 

on a thorough review of available methods and approaches, a relatively new questionnaire, the Infant 

and Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment was 

selected. The Spanish version of the assessment 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

March 2005: National Coordinators Meeting, 

Tucson, Arizona: Priorities included promotion of 

diesel retrofit projects and cleanup of abandoned 

waste and tire sites 

Feb. 2005: California and Arizona Border 

Tribal Caucus Meetings held to identify 

accomplishments and priorities 
1
 

was evaluated for use within two colonias in the 

Rio Grande Valley. Thirty-nine children between 12 

and 47 months of age were enrolled in the study. 

For each child, a parent or other primary caregiver 

completed the assessment. This pilot study intends 

to demonstrate the assessment as an acceptable 

instrument for evaluation of young children in U.S.­

Mexico border communities. Specific recommendations will be made to modify and standardize the 

administration of future assessmnents. For more information, go to www.epa.gov/ehwg/projects_publications/neurobehavioral_effects.html 

Pesticide Collection Project to 

Dispose of Obsolete Pesticides 

in Two Border Communities 

Reduces Exposure Risk 

The Pesticide Collection Project is a pilot program 

that organized pesticide collection and disposal 

events in Yuma County, Arizona, and in San Luis Rio 

Colorado, Sonora. This demonstration project improved protection of human health and the environment through the removal of unwanted or obsolete 

pesticides from agricultural areas. This prevented 

use of these “legacy” pesticides on both sides of 

the border, as well as prevented contamination from 

improper pesticide storage. Over 46 tons of waste 

pesticide was removed during the collection events 

in August, 2006. Based on this project, Mexico has 

initiated a nationwide inventory of waste pesticides. 

This project is intended to illustrate the need for 

sustainable collection programs in both Arizona and 

Sonora. 

A woman interviews a 

farmworker to assess 

what precautions he 

takes while working in 

the fields. The health 

official offers bilingual 

educational materials 

on pesticides to reduce 

exposure 

The Baja Mobile Medical 

Clinic brings medical 

care to residents that are 

unable to seek medical 

attention otherwise. 

Medical care on wheels is 

of paramount importance 

for residents of rural 

areas 

May 2005: Mexicali/Imperial Valley Sister-city 

Emergency Contingency Plan Signing Ceremony 

May 2005: INNOR tire pile cleanup complete 
20 

Emergency Preparedness and Response 

Challenges Along the Border 

Increasing numbers of industrial facilities that create 

hazardous waste have led to more frequent chemical emergencies. At the same time, because of the 

population boom, a much higher risk of public exposure to these contaminants exists. As a result, there 

is an immediate need to improve response capability 

through training and joint response exercises. Any 

spill, release, fire, or explosion that has the potential 

to affect either country is reported to the 24-hour 

U.S.-based National Response Center or the Mexico-based National Communications Center. Between 2003 and 2005, these centers received over 

700 calls. 

In an effort to coordinate and respond to emergencies, the U.S.-Mexico Joint Response Team was established in 1999. The team is comprised of federal, 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

state and local emergency response and preparedness agencies from both nations. The 1999 Joint 

Response Team laid the groundwork for sister-city 

plans. These plans are binational emergency contingency plans that detail roles and responsibilities 

for federal, state and local emergency response 

agencies. To date, 15 pairs of sister-cities have established emergency contingency plans that provide coordination among both nations’ emergency 

responders. 

Investment Along the Border 

Government agencies have invested over $300,000, 

supporting twelve projects in the border region to 

support emergency response and preparedness activities. About 72 percent of these funds, were used 

for capacity building projects, including emergency 

June 2005: Arizona-Mexico Commission 

Meeting: As a result of this meeting the AmbosNogales Air Quality Plan is signed which outlines 

12 recommendations for reducing air pollution 

July 2005: Following caucus meetings, border 

tribes release the Tribal Border Communiqué on 

tribal accomplishments and priorities along the 

border 
21 

contingency training development and emergency 

responder training. Nearly 30 percent was used for 

planning, coordination and preparedness activities. 

This investment is crucial, since preparedness and 

capacity building are essential to the ability of any 

agency to respond to an emergency. Response and 

preparedness funds account for 4 percent of Border 

2012 project funds. In addition to project funds approximately $880,000 was invested in contract support to assist in the development of the sister-city 

plans. 

Building capacity among emergency responders is 

an essential component. From 2003-2005 nine projects involved capacity building. In Arizona-Sonora, 

over $67,000 was invested to support training activities. These projects included courses on tanker cars, 

hazardous materials, response to chlorine releases, 

and also supported a binational workshop on the 

Operation Response Emergency Information System. As a result of the training, emergency responders are able to make competent, informed decisions 

and are better equipped to respond to an emergency 

situation involving hazardous materials. In CaliforniaBaja over $120,000 was invested in the binational 

Baja California Emergency Management Institute to 

ensure long-term sustainability of training capacity 

among emergency responders along the border. In 

the New Mexico-Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo León-Tamaulipas-Chihuahua border area, over $58,000 was 

invested to support hazardous material trainings and 

a joint education initiative. 

Aside from building capacity, $95,000 was invested 

to support emergency response planning, coordination and preparedness activities. In the New MexicoTexas-Chihuahua border area, $60,000 supported 

emergency response simulation exercises and evaluations of local sister city response capabilities. These 

exercises are mock emergency situations that determine the effectiveness, coordination and communication of emergency responders. In Arizona-Sonora 

$35,000 was invested to update Ambos Nogales’ 

binational prevention and emergency response plan. 

Frequent revisions to emergency contingency plans 

are important because new technologies and threats 

change the face of emergencies. 

Partnering for Success: 

Regional Efforts 

In the cities of Presidio, Texas, Ojinaga and Palomas, Chihuahua and Columbus, New Mexico, the 

New Mexico-Texas-Chihuahua Workgroup has been 

instrumental in coordinating local sister city contingency plans. 

The workgroup conducted a hazardous materials 

commodity flow study for El Paso, which included 

the inspection of commercial truck traffic transporting hazardous materials across the Zaragoza-YsThe EPA mobile 

command center is a 

total communications 

center. With secure phone 

lines, GIS capabilities 

and cameras; this truck 

enables emergency 

responders to set up a 

base of operation and 

communications 

July 2005: Secretary Luege and Administrator 

Johnson meet as newly appointed Agency 

heads 

Oct. 2005: Binational Event Announcing 

availability of ULSD on Mexican side of the 

border in 2007: Letter of intent signed to 

promote emission reductions along the border 
22 

EPA Superfund 

Emergency Responders 

decontaminate Snowball, 

to remove any mercury 

that might be hidden in 

his fur. EPA, PROFEPA, 

and state and local 

emergency responders 

collaborate to develop 

binational emergency 

contingency plans to 

enable coordinated and 

effective emergency 

response operations 

leta International Bridge. In addition, the Commodity 

Flow Study included facility inspections and risk and 

vulnerability analyses of the hazardous materials of 

concern for major truck transportation routes. The 

workgroup also supported preparedness in environmental health emergency response; trainings were 

held in five major hospitals and two clinics in El Paso, 

Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua on hospital 

mass casualty decontamination. 

Other accomplishments include implementing several binational and tri-national (including Tribal Nations) 

exercises to help develop preparedness and prevention in the region. These efforts include risk and 

consequence analysis, risk reduction, and counterterrorism. The workgroup has also conducted several binational training sessions in the areas of hazardous materials, field operation guides, chemical / 

biological / radiological / nuclear responses, incident 

command/unified command systems, and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Incident 

Management System and National Response Plan. 

Border-wide Efforts 

The Emergency Preparedness and Response Border-wide Workgroup improved binational coordination among emergency responders, and increased 

transparency among federal, state and local agencies while continuing to support Joint Response 

Team activities. Highlights include: 

•	 A Joint Contingency Plan established the framework and foundation for the 15 sister-city plans; 

•	 The National Response Plan includes Mexican 

protocols, and updated notification procedures; 

•	 The workgroup is currently revising the chemical 

emergency notification system between the U.S. 

and Mexico last tested in late 2005. The revisions 

will enhance binational preparedness, while improving coordination and communication 

Ongoing activities include revising an all-hazards 

emergency notification system between Mexico and 

the U.S. and expedited border crossings for emergency response personnel. The all-hazards notification system is being updated and has been included 

in the Joint Contingency Plan. Eventually, the updated system will be incorporated into each sister 

city plan. The overall effort will enhance health and 

safety for both Mexican and U.S. citizens. Expedited 

border crossings for emergency response personnel 

are essential for the safety and security of both nations’ citizens. Officials are working to develop a viable protocol for emergency responders to expedite 

their crossing. 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Oct. 2005: Binational Commission Meeting: 

Theme is Border Security 

Dec. 2005: Arizona-Sonora Regional Workgroup 

meeting 
2 

Spotlight: Emergency Preparedness and Response 

Baja California Emergency 

Management Institute 

The Baja California Emergency Management Institute is a public/private binational partnership 

for sustainable Border emergency preparedness 

through certified academic programs and binational standardization of skills and procedures. 

Focusing first on chemical emergencies, the Institute plans to expand to other hazards such as 

bioterrorism and conduct research and risk reduction programs. In 2005 the partners signed a 

memorandum of collaboration. The autonomous 

State University of Baja California serves as fiscal 

and organizational coordinator; other partners are 

the Tijuana Fire and Civil Protection Department, 

Mexico Attorney for Environmental Protection, 

EPA, County of San Diego, and State of California Specialized Training Institute. The private 

sector is represented by the Tijuana Chamber of 

Commerce and the Pro-Bomberos Tijuana Association. In 2005 the Institute also conducted first 

level responder training. 

Arizona-Sonora Emergency 

Preparedness Task 

Force Achievements 

In 2003 the Border 2012 Arizona-Sonora Emergency Preparedness Task Force supported a 

field exercise in Ambos Nogales to simulate a 

response to a terrorist attack. In 2005, this binational task force conducted a table-top exercise 

to test a response involving the sister city plans in 

Cochise County, Douglas, and Agua Prieta. The 

exercise simulated an overturned tanker truck releasing sulfur dioxide. 

In addition, the Arizona-Sonora task force sponsored training in exercise design, the Operation 

Respond Emergency Information System, railcar safety, and the Incident Command System. 

The training paid off with coordinated binational 

responses to five emergencies in 2005: the 

Nogales fire, San Lazaro rail spill, Nogales floods, 

a Nogales raw sewage spill and the Naco landfill 

fire. Finally, the Task Force met with the Tohono 

O’odham Nation Council and identified capacitybuilding and tri-national planning as potential collaborative projects. 

The Baja California 

Emergency Management 

Institute will host 

classes for local 

emergency responders. 

In this table-top exercise 

emergency responders 

are determining roadways 

to use and roadways to 

block in the event of an 

emergency 

Jan. 2006: The Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo LeonTamaulipas Regional Workgroup formed three 

binational, geographically focused environmental 

Task Forces: the Gulf Task Force, the Falcon 

Task Force and the Amistad Task Force 

Feb 2006: First Gulf Task Force Meeting 
24 

Compliance and Enforcement 

Challenges Along the Border 

Growing industrial activity along the border has led 

to increased air emissions, waste generation, and 

water and energy use on both sides of the border. 

These environmental impacts make collaboration 

and cooperation between both nations increasingly 

important to ensure environmental compliance and 

foster enhanced participation in voluntary programs. 

The border region is home to over 19,000 regulated 

facilities, with roughly 8,600 in the U.S. and 11,000 

in Mexico; “regulated” is defined as any facility needing an air or water discharge permit or that handles 

hazardous waste. Both nations must work with the 

manufacturing sector to improve environmental conditions through compliance assistance, incentivebased voluntary programs, and targeted enforcement efforts. 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

Projects and Results 

From 2003-2005, over $300,000 was provided for 

projects along the border to ensure compliance, provide technical assistance, target enforcement activities, and reduce waste through pollution prevention 

programs and Environmental Management System 

(EMS) training. 

The money supported six projects. Nearly 70 percent of projects funded dealt with pollution prevention and provided EMS training and implementation. 

Enforcement targeting and compliance assurance 

related activities made up the remainder. All these 

projects support related efforts to reduce waste. 

March 2006: U.S.- Mexico Binational 

Commission Meeting, U.S.: Letter of cooperation 

between USAID, EPA and SEMARNAT signed on 

Methane to Markets 

March 2006: First Falcon Task Force Meeting 
2
 

Partnering for Success: 

Regional Efforts 

The four regional workgroups worked to address citizen concerns, identify needs, and provide guidance 

and support for projects in the past three years. The 

California-Baja regional workgroup supported the 

Green Business Pilot Program for the Automotive 

Industry in Tijuana, Mexico, which reduces hazardous waste through pollution prevention, education, 

training, and cost incentives. To date, people working at 23 automotive repair shops were trained in 

green business practices. In addition, the workgroup 

is also supporting EMS and pollution prevention 

training for businesses and port-of-entry inspections training for the California-Baja area. The Arizona-Sonora workgroup supported similar projects, 

including EMS workshops and the Arizona Mexico 

International Green Organization (AMIGO) Program 

to bring Arizona and Mexican industries closer together to share technologies that reduce waste and 

pollution, while increasing profits, worker safety, and 

environmental health. 

The Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo León-Tamaulipas Regional Workgroup, working with Texas and SEMARNAT held seven Pollution Prevention and Resource 

Conservation workshops from 2003-2005. In the 

same period two voluntary site assistance visits to 

maquiladoras were made, yielding significant reductions to pollution along the border. 

The project has produced dramatic results in reducing waste generation and energy consumption in 

border facilities. Since 1994, participating maquiladoras have reported: 

•	 Reducing hazardous waste generation by about 

21,000 tons 

•	 Reducing non-hazardous waste generation by 

more than 117,000 tons 

•	 Reducing volatile organic compound emissions 

by more than 95,000 pounds 

•	 Reducing CO2 emissions by about 900,000 

pounds 

•	 Conserving approximately 523 million gallons of 

water 

•	 Conserving more than 481 million kilowatt hours 

of electricity and 

•	 Saving partner U.S. facilities nearly $89 million in 

avoided material and disposal costs 

Border-wide Efforts 

To enhance environmental performance, the Border-wide Cooperative Enforcement and Compliance 

Workgroup 

•	 Developed an inventory of high-risk facilities 

•	 Promoted self-auditing and voluntary compliance 

programs 

•	 Established a Web-based Border Compliance 

Assistance Center 

•	 Supported training for Mexican and U.S. customs officials on environmental violations 

•	 Established a protocol for sampling hazardous 

waste compounds at ports of entry 

Arizona Governor Janet 

Napolitano (center 

left) with Sonora 

Governor Bours (center 

right) present AMIGO 

award to Sonora 

industry recipients 

for their outstanding 

achievements 

PROFEPA “Clean 

Industry” program to 

honor businesses that 

take measures to reduce 

their environmental 

impact 

March 2006: 10 Border States Retreat, San 

Francisco 

March 2006: Good Neighbor Board Report: Air 

Quality, Transportation and Natural Resources 

along the border 
26 

Spotlight: Compliance and Enforcement 

State personnel safely 

remove and dispose 

hazardous materials 

Radio Frequency Identification 

Pilot for Hazardous 

Waste Transports 

Efforts are underway to test the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a means to track 

shipments of hazardous waste from maquiladoras 

in Mexico to their final treatment or disposal facility 

in the U.S. The RFID tags and corresponding readers enable customs officials, the waste generators, 

and others to track the waste from a maquiladora 

site as it travels through Mexican and U.S. border 

checkpoints, along U.S. highways, to its designated 

receiving facility for recycling, treatment or disposal. 

Successful implementation of the pilot program will 

facilitate safe transport of hazardous waste and reduce the potential for illegal dumping of the material. 

It could also speed border crossings, thus reducing 

air emissions and fuel use by trucking companies using the technology. 

Border Compliance and 

Enforcement Prioritization Tool 

By extracting information from national databases 

on over 8,000 facilities in the border region, EPA has 

developed a tool to incorporate data on compliance 

history, pollutant releases, and population statistics 

that allows users to sort and rank facilities based 

an a number of factors. The tool is designed to help 

Border Timeline 2002 - 2006, cont. 

April 2006: National Coordinators Meeting, 

Ensenada, Mexico. Priorities included: removal 

of obsolete pesticides, increased availability 

of low-sulfur fuel, pilot technologies related to 

transboundary movement of waste 

April 2006: Strategy for Indicator Development 

Report 
2
 

regional work groups prioritize compliance activities, such as inspections and compliance assistance 

for different facilities, geographic areas or industrial 

sectors. It has been distributed to the regional task 

forces for implementation, not only for compliance 

activities but also for helping to identify facilities that 

may pose significant environmental risks from industrial pollutant releases. For example, it can help identify facilities that may be causing a disproportionate 

environmental impact on a particular population, or 

help identify which facilities are polluting a stream or 

watershed. 

Border Compliance 

Assistance Center 

The Border Center is a web-based compliance assistance resource developed in partnership with the 

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. The 

purpose is to help businesses importing hazardous 

waste from Mexico understand and comply with 

applicable environmental regulations. Providing the 

regulated community with information can help them 

meet and exceed environmental compliance in both 

countries. The center provides online, plain language 

explanations in both English and Spanish on environmental requirements that apply to U.S. importers, 

U.S. warehouse/storage facilities, U.S. and Mexican 

transporters, and Mexican generators. The information includes federal and state regulations, packaging and labeling requirements, paperwork preparation guidelines, as well as customs yard information 

at ports of entry from California to Texas. While the 

Border Center serves three main groups (Mexican 

hazardous waste generators, Mexican and U.S. 

transporters, and U.S. importers/brokers), it is also 

useful to federal and state regulators and the public. 

Center usage has increased by an impressive 412% 

since the Center’s 2003 inaugural year. For more information, go to www.bordercenter.org/index2.cfm 

Major accomplishments include a cooperative effort 

between the Border Center, EPA and U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection to provide U.S. hazardous 

waste manifests from each port of entry, for development of a hazardous waste manifest database. The 

compilation of data is in its pilot phase, and includes 

types and quantities of hazardous waste entering 

U.S. ports of entry and their final destination. The 

Border Center will use the data to develop a hazardous waste destination directory to help maquiladoras 

and importers decide where to most efficiently send 

their waste. 

The center is establishing three new key features: (1) 

Crossing the Border, which provides Customs contacts, number of open lanes/longest wait times, and 

paperwork instructions for transporters; (2) a Waste 

Code Dictionary cross-referencing EPA and INE hazardous waste codes; and (3) a Broker Directory to 

help locate U.S. waste brokers. 

Secretary Enrique 

Villegas of the Baja 

California Secretariat 

for Environmental 

Protection addresses 

private and public sector 

representatives at the 

2006 Eco-Efficiency 

Conference in Tijuana, 

MX. 

May 2006: Joint Advisory Committee 10th 

Anniversary 

June 2006: First joint BECC/NADBank Meeting: 

Agreement on developing BECC technical 

assistance program, using $50 million in paidfor capital, making the Solid Waste Program 

permanent 
 

 

28 

Contact List: United States 

The following contacts can provide information on environmental issues and activities in their respective states and regions. 

EPA OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL 

AFFAIRS 

U.S. National Coordinator 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
 

Washington, D.C. 20460
 

Telephone: (202) 564-6600
 

Fax: (202) 565-2407
 

Internet: http://www.epa.gov/international
 

ARIzONA DEPARTMENT OF 

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITy 

Arizona-Mexico Border Programs Unit 

400 West Congress, Suite 433
 

Tucson, AZ 85701
 

Telephone: (520) 628-6744
 

(888) 271-9302
 

Internet: www.adeq.state.az.us 

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL 

PROTECTION AGENCy 

Border Affairs Unit 

1001 I Street, 25th Floor
 

Sacramento, CA 95814
 

Telephone: (916) 324-7316
 

Internet: www.calepa.ca.gov
 

NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT 

DEPARTMENT 

1190 St. Francis Drive 

P.O. Box 26110
 

Santa Fe, NM 87502
 

Telephone: (505) 827-2176
 

Internet: www.nmenv.state.nm.us
 

TEXAS COMMISSION ON 

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITy 

Division of Border Affairs 

MC-121
 

P.O. Box 13087
 

Austin, TX 78711-3087
 

Telephone: (512) 239-3606
 

Internet: www.tceq.state.tx.us 

EPA REGION  

75 Hawthorne Street
 

San Francisco, CA 94105
 

Telephone: (415) 972-3434
 

Internet: www.epa.gov/region09
 

EPA SAN DIEGO BORDER OFFICE 

610 West Ash Street, Suite 905
 

San Diego, CA 92101
 

Telephone: (619) 235-4765
 

EPA REGION 6
 

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
 

Dallas, TX 75202
 

Telephone: (214) 665-8188
 

Internet: www.epa.gov/region06
 

EPA EL PASO BORDER OFFICE 

4050 Rio Bravo, Suite 100
 

El Paso, TX 79902
 

Telephone: (915) 533-7273
 

TRIBAL COORDINATORS 

California Tribal Liasion 

Nina Hapner
 

42143 Avenida Alvarado, Unit 2A
 

Temecula, CA 92590
 

Telephone: (951) 296-5595
 

Email: tribalenvironmental@yahoo.com 

Arizona Tribal Border Liaison 

Tibaldo (Ty) Canez
 

609 E. Oxford Drive
 

Tempe, AZ 85283
 

Telephone: 480-820-1426 

Email: tylcanez@msn.com 

EPA Region 6 Tribal Liasion 

Jonathan Hook
 

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200
 

Dallas, TX 75202
 

Telephone: 214-665-8069 

Email: hook.jonathan@epa.gov 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact List: Mexico 

2
 

UNIDAD COORDINADORA DE 

ASUNTOS INTERNACIONALES DE 

SEMARNAT 

Coordinador Nacional México 

Av. San Jerónimo 458, Col. Jardínes del 

Pedregal 

Del. Alvaro obregón, c.p. 01900 

México, D.F. 

Teléfono: (52-55) 5490-2100 

Fax: (52-55) 5490-2194 

Internet: www.semarnat.gob. 

mx/frontera2012 

BAJA CALIFORNIA 

Dirección General de Ecología 

Teléfono: (664) 624-2095 

Fax: (664) 624-2096 

CHIHUAHUA 

Dirección de Ecología 

Teléfono: (614) 410-6440 

Fax: (614) 410-0474 

COAHUILA 

Instituto Coahuilense de Ecología 

Teléfono: (844) 414-9213 

(844) 412-5622, -22 

Fax: (844) 412-5678, -22 

NUEVO LEóN 

Subsecretaría de Ecología 

Teléfono: (818) 331-3156, -64, -94 

Fax: (818) 331-3156, -64, -94 

SONORA 

Dirección General de Normatividad 

Ecológica 

Teléfono: (662) 213-1966 

Fax: (662) 213-1966 

TAMAULIPAS 

Dirección General de Desarrollo 

Sustentable 

Teléfono: (834) 318-9450 

Fax: (834) 318-9466 

DELEGACIóN SEMARNAT EN BAJA 

CALIFORNIA 

Teléfono: (686) 551-8701 

Email: bc_deleg@semarnat.gob.mx 

DELEGACIóN SEMARNAT EN SONORA 

Teléfono: (662) 259-2701
 

Email: son.deleg@semarnat.gob.mx_
 

DELEGACIóN DE PROFEPA EN 

CHIHUAHUA 

Teléfono: (656) 611-0166 

Fax: (656) 611-0220 

Email: chihprofepa@terra.com.mx 

DELEGACIóN DE SEMARNAT EN 

CHIHUAHUA 

Teléfono: (614) 442-1501 

Email: deleg@chihuahua.semarnat.gob. 

mx 

DELEGACIóN DE SEMARNAT EN 

NUEVO LEóN 

Delg. de Nuevo León 

Teléfono: (818) 369-8902 

Email: nleon_deleg@semarnat.gob.mx 

DELEGACIóN DE SEMARNAT EN 

COAHUILA 

Teléfono: (844) 411-8402 

Email: delegado@coahuila.semarnat. 

gob.mx 

DELEGACIóN DE SEMARNAT EN 

TAMAULIPAS 

Teléfono: (834) 318-5251 

Email: delegado@tamaulipas.semarnat. 

gob.mx 
 

 

 

0
 

List of Acronyms 

BECC Border Environment Cooperation 

Commission 

COFEPRIS Mexico’s Federal Sanitary System 

CONAGUA Mexico’s National Water Commission 

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

GNEB Good Neighbor Environmental Board 

INE Mexico’s National Institute of Ecology 

NADBank North American Development Bank 

PROFEPA Mexico’s Federal Attorney General for 

Environmental Protection 

SEMARNAT Mexico’s Secretariat for the Environment 

and Natural Resources