### Integrating Environmental Solutions for **the US -**  **Mexico Border**

Since 1997, the **U**
**. S** 
**. -**  **Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program** , funded by Congress through EPA, has awarded grants to water and wastewater systems in the border region through the **Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP)**  for project development and design and the **Border Environment Infrastructure Fund (BEIF)** for construction, programs administered by BECC and NADB, respectively. N otable program accomplishments include:

 **More than**  **$3 4**  **million in**  **PDAP technical**  **assistance grants**  **for project**  **development in**  **155 +**  **communities. Approximately**  **85% of**  **these funds**  **have led to projects already implemented or under development.** 

 **$5 64** 
**. 6**  **million in**  **BEIF funds**  **committed to**  **the implementation**  **of 8**  **9 drinking**  **water and**  **wastewater infrastructure**  **projects valued**  **at $1.7**  **billion and**  **directly be**  **nefiting more**  **than 7**  **million border**  **residents, including**  **underserved communities in the U.S.** 

 **A leveraging strength of more than $2.00 of other sources to every $1.00 BEIF reflects the program’s ability as a catalyst for other stake**  **holder participation**
**.**  **E very**  **project, whether**  **located in**  **the US**  **or Mexico,**  **has provided**  **an environmental and human health benefit for the U.S.** 

 **A capacity**  **to eliminate**  **more than**  **40 0**  **million gallons**  **per day**  **of untreated**  **or inadequately**  **treated wastewater**  **discharges has**  **been achieved,**  **equivalent to**  **the wastewater**  **discharge of**  **nearly 8**  **million persons or 1.86 million households.** 

 Influenced by the availability of this critical bi

- national funding program, a **significant increase**  **of investment**  **by Mexico**  has been experienced in the border region through programs of the Comisión Nacional del Agua (National Water Commission)

.



### On
**- Going Investment Needs** 
**– US Border Region**  **EPA’s U** 
**. S** 
**. -**  **Mexico Border**  **Water Infrastructure**  **Program** has offered the greatest investment and leveraging tool for successful basic service infrastructure development in the border region. Still , additional drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs continue to be identified and far surpass available program resources. To ensure that funds are used in the most effective manner possible, targeting the most critical needs, the BECC and EPA conduct a b i

- yearly prioritization process. For the FY 11/12 prioritization process, **200 applications**  were received, worth nearly **$800 mil**  **lion in**  **construction investments** 

. 132 of these projects propose to provide first

- time access to these basic services

. Approximately $664 million of eligible projects were evaluated and a total of **23 projects**  **, worth**  **an estimated**  **$193.7 million**  **in constructi**  **on costs,**  have been selected as candidates to receive PDAP funding to advance their development. Detailed information on the FY 11/12 Prioritization process, including selected projects, can be found on BECC’s website at www.cocef.org
Interested in documenting the role of infrastructure investment as a driver or catalyst for new private sector economic activity and job/wealth creation, BECC conducted an **Economic Impact**  **Study** to d etermine the extent to which water and wastewater infrastructure improvements **create/enhance economic**  **opportunities in**  **the community** 

. The study was supported b y data calculated from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (“BEA”) RIMS II model for five US communities

. In terms of infrastructure and well

- being, the study concluded that **one million**  **dollars invested**  **in water**  **and wastewater**  **infrastructure over 10 years** results in:

 **$11.1 million in private sector investment; 221 new jobs created; $ 1.7 million in tax revenue;**  **$52.2 million in goods produced by the private sector. E** **P A** **’ s** **U S** **- M** **e x** **i c** **o W** **a t** **e r** **I n** **f r** **a s** **t r** **u c** **t u** **r e** **P r** **o g** **r a** **m O** **n -** **G o** **i n** **g I** **n v** **e s** **t m** **e n** **t N** **e e** **d s** **E c** **o n** **o m** **i c** **I m** **p a** **c t** **: W** **a t** **e r** **I n** **f r** **a s** **t r** **u c** **t u** **r e** 

### Integrating Environmental Solutions for **the US -**  **Mexico Border**

E stablished by the U

. S

. and Mexican governments in 1994, the **Border Environment**  **Cooperation Commission**  ( BECC) and **North American**  **Development Bank**  ( NADB ) have cooperatively worked to certify and finance environmental infrastructure projects with the intent of improving the environmental and human health conditions in the border region. As of September 3 0 , 2011 , their joint accomplishments have incl uded:

 **1 8**  **5 certified projects**  (8 5 U

. S

. / 100 Mexico) representing nearly **$ 4.**  **1 46**  **billion in environmental infrastructure investment**  , directly benefiting 13

. 8 million border residents. NADB has provided $1.33 billion in financing for 152 of those projects.

 **114 Water**  **and wastewater**  **projects valued**  **at $**  **2. 3**  **billion** providing new or improved services t o 1 2 million border residents.

 **25 Water conservation**  projects estimated to save energy and to **decrease water losses by approximately 330 MGD**  , enough to serve the average demands of some 4 million people.

 **22 Solid**  **Waste projects**  **accommodating approximately**  **1,550 tons/day**  of waste previously disposed of in open or uncontrolled sites.

 **20 Air**  **Quality projects**  **related to**  **paving and**  **mobility will**  **eliminate approximately**  **20 0,000**  **tons per**  **year of**  **PM 10**  **,** caused primarily by vehicular traffic on unpaved roadways.

 **4 Energy projects**  anticipated to **prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to almost**  **6 68**  **,000 metric**  **tons of CO**  **2** – e per year through t he use of alternative energy and fuel sources. BECC continues to work using a strategic approach which focuses on the following activities:

 **Strengthening Border**  **Stakeholder Cooperation**  **with increased**  **participation in**  **forums** to assist in project /program coordination, consistent information exchange, and strategy developm ent

.  **Strategic Planning**  to identify needs within the region to improve the effectiveness of infrastructure program investments in the border region.

 **Climate Change**  **Planning, Mitigation**  **a nd**  **Adaptation Initiativ**  **es to**  support the efforts of both countries for emission reductions. BECC is working with the si x Mexican border states in developing their state climate action plans.

 **Energy Efficiency**  **and Renewable**  **Source Projects**  **which can**  **be implemented**  **for a**  **broad range**  **of uses**  **such as municipal lighting, utility services, as well as residential needs.**

The U

. S

. - Mexico border region (100km/62 mile) has a population of 13 million and is a dynamic network of cultural , social, environmental and economic relationships between residents of both countries. Border economic activity is reflected by the following facts:

 Approximately **90% of the border region population resides in 14 paired trans**
**- border communities** 

.  Approximately **132,000 pedestrians**  , **523,000 passenger**  **vehicles** , **12,000 commercial**  **trucks** , and **2,000 rail containers**  are estimated to **cross the border on any given day** 

.  **250 million northbound crossings** occurred in 2006, for example, which were made up of **:** o **One**
**- day trips,**  typically for retail purchases **, account ing**  **for >95% of the northbound crossings** o N early **$50 billion in taxable sales** , making **retail the 2 nd**  **largest employer** in US border counties.

 Of the **2,300 maquiladoras** residing in Mexican border states, **9 0% trace their origin to US firms** 

.  **New employment**  **in the**  **US has**  **been established**  to meet the needs of this industrial sector ( warehousing, transportation and professional services ) The U

. S

. - Mexico Border Counties Coalition’s “At the Cross Roads: US/Mexico Border Counties in Transition”, compares the U

. S

. border counties, considered as the 51 st State, to the U

. S

. States and found the following statistics:
 The **6.7 million residents** would rank **13th in population** and **15 th**  **in population growth**

.  **Per capita income for the region**  , not including San Diego, **would rank 51 st**  ; however, **personal income actually grew 41.4%**  compared to 29.3% for the nation.

 Exposure to **unsanitary conditions** existing on both sides of the border may **influence its ranking as 2 nd**  **in incidence o**  **f tuberculosis and 3 rd**  **in deaths due to hepatitis**

.**B o** **r d** **e r** **F a** **c t** **s A** **c c** **o m** **p l** **i s** **h i** **n g** **R e** **s u** **l t** **s**