I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3795 
To direct the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, 
to carry out a comprehensive protection and rehabilitation program for 
the Tijuana River Valley, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 
Mr. VARGAS (for himself and Mr. ISSA) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the Army, acting through the 
Chief of Engineers, to carry out a comprehensive protec-
tion and rehabilitation program for the Tijuana River 
Valley, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tijuana River Valley 
Comprehensive Protection and Rehabilitation Act of 
2017’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the Tijuana River Valley is a broad natural 
floodplain containing a variety of wetland and ripar-
ian areas; 
(2) the Tijuana River Valley is a small portion 
of the Tijuana River’s 1,700 square miles of water-
shed; 
(3) the Tijuana River’s watershed area includes 
portions of south San Diego County and northern 
Baja California, Mexico; 
(4) the Tijuana River Valley Planning Area is 
bounded by the city of Imperial Beach and the Otay 
Mesa-Nestor community to the north, the San 
Ysidro community to the east, Mexico to the south, 
and Border Field State Park and Imperial Beach to 
the west; 
(5) near the coast is the most extensive salt 
marsh in southern California, which is preserved 
within the Tijuana River National Estuarine Sanc-
tuary; 
(6) further inland, the Tijuana River is vege-
tated with riparian habitat; 
(7) the Tijuana River Valley is bounded on the 
south by high mesas and deep canyons covered by 
chaparral, sage scrub, and grasslands; 
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(8) the floodplain of the Tijuana River Valley 
currently contains a mixture of agricultural fields, 
equestrian facilities, rural housing, riparian wood-
land, and disturbed habitats; 
(9) periodic rains in the region have produced 
flooding and cross-border flows of wastewater and 
sewage, causing public health concerns as well as 
disruptions to the local tourist economy and military 
readiness; and 
(10) in February 2017, as reported in the 
Transboundary Bypass Flows into the Tijuana River 
report released by the United States section of the 
International Boundary and Water Commission, 
United States and Mexico, approximately 28 million 
gallons of sewage was discharged into the Tijuana 
River Valley, resulting in beach closures throughout 
the region. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that all pertinent Federal agencies, in conjunction 
with their Mexican counterparts, should use all available 
resources to upgrade and enhance the physical infrastruc-
ture of the Tijuana River Valley to stop and manage all 
wastewater, sewage, trash, and sediment spills. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
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(1) 
MEXICAN
GOVERNMENTS.—The 
term 
‘‘Mexican governments’’ means the Federal, State, 
and local governments of the United Mexican States. 
(2) RESTORATION
AND
PROTECTION.—The 
term ‘‘restoration and protection’’ means the con-
servation, stewardship, and enhancement of the 
physical infrastructure in both the United States 
and Mexico to prevent flooding and wastewater, sew-
age, trash, and sediment spills in the Tijuana River 
Valley. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief 
of Engineers. 
(4) TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY.—The term ‘‘Ti-
juana River Valley’’ means the planning area in San 
Diego County bounded by the city of Imperial Beach 
and the Otay Mesa-Nestor community to the north, 
the San Ysidro community to the east, Mexico to the 
south, and Border Field State Park and Imperial 
Beach to the west. 
SEC. 4. TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY COMPREHENSIVE PROTEC-
TION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with the require-
ments of this section, the Secretary shall establish and 
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carry out a comprehensive protection and rehabilitation 
program for the Tijuana River Valley. 
(b) COORDINATION.—In establishing the program, 
the Secretary shall consult, as appropriate, with— 
(1) the heads of Federal agencies, including— 
(A) the Secretary of the Interior; 
(B) the Secretary of Homeland Security; 
(C) the Administrator of General Services; 
(D) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(E) the Secretary of State; 
(F) the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection; and 
(G) the Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service; 
(2) the United States Commissioner, Inter-
national Boundary and Water Commission, United 
States and Mexico; 
(3) the Border Environment Cooperation Com-
mission; 
(4) the North American Development Bank; 
(5) the Governor of California; 
(6) the California Environmental Protection 
Agency; 
(7) the city of Imperial Beach; 
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(8) the city of San Diego; 
(9) the county of San Diego; 
(10) the San Diego Regional Water Quality 
Control Board; 
(11) the Tijuana River National Estuarine Re-
search Reserve; 
(12) Mexican governments; and 
(13) other public agencies and organizations 
with authority for the planning and implementation 
of conservation strategies relating to the Tijuana 
River Valley in both the United States and Mexico. 
(c) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program in-
clude— 
(1) coordinating restoration and protection ac-
tivities among Mexican, Federal, State, local, and re-
gional entities and conservation partners relating to 
the Tijuana River Valley; and 
(2) carrying out coordinated restoration and 
protection activities, and providing for technical as-
sistance, relating to the Tijuana River Valley. 
(d) FEASIBILITY
AND
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE 
PLAN.—Not later than 360 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a feasibility 
and technical assistance plan for updated wastewater in-
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frastructure and flood preparedness in the Tijuana River 
Valley. 
(e) GRANTS AND ASSISTANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program, 
the Secretary shall provide grants and technical as-
sistance to State and local governments, nonprofit 
organizations, and institutions of higher education, 
in both the United States and Mexico, to carry out 
the purposes of the program. 
(2) CRITERIA.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the organizations described in subsection (b), 
shall develop criteria for providing grants and tech-
nical assistance under this subsection to ensure that 
such activities accomplish one or more of the pur-
poses identified in subsection (c) and advance the 
implementation of priority actions or needs identified 
under the program. 
(f) GRANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter 
into an agreement to manage the implementation of 
this section with the North American Development 
Bank, the Border Environment Cooperation Com-
mission, or a similar organization that offers grant 
management services. 
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