Reps. Darrell Issa and Juan Vargas announced a bipartisan effort Monday to protect the Tijuana River Valley from sewage spills that have repeatedly closed nearby beaches.
Issa, a Republican, and Vargas, a Democrat, outlined the Tijuana River Valley Comprehensive Protection and Rehabilitation Act of 2017 at a press conference on a riverbank near the border fence.
The bill would provide grant funding and develop a coordinated plan to update the area’s infrastructure to prevent the flooding of sewage, trash and sediment into the Tijuana River Valley.
“The impact of these continuing spills will be felt for generations to come unless we take action to stop it now,” said Issa. “Allowing the sewage and wastewater to flow up into San Diego County not only hurts small business and our tourism-reliant economy but also poses serious health consequences.”
Issa, who represents north coastal San Diego and south Orange Counties, said cleanup would only come through bipartisan and international cooperation.
“Sewage from Tijuana has been flowing into the Tijuana River Valley, into beaches in San Diego County, and our communities for too long,” said Vargas. “This legislation will help rehabilitate the Tijuana River Valley and rebuild the infrastructure needed to prevent future spills.”
Vargas’ district includes the border area from Imperial Beach, which has borne the brunt of the spills, to the Arizona line.
The legislation calls for a coordinated effort including federal, state, local and international agencies to provide technical assistance to improve the wastewater infrastructure in both Mexico and the United States to stop the spills.
The bill also calls for a new Transboundary Waterway Alert System to protect residents from harm in case of future flooding.
