Rain in southern San Diego could cause water levels in the polluted Tijuana River to rise, further worsening air quality.
Now, residents are concerned that San Diego County’s new home air filters aren’t enough to keep harmful air from rising rivers at bay.
And despite increased federal and state attention in recent weeks, in the wake of the November election and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s refusal to declare a state of emergency over the situation, a solution is still not in sight. It is elusive and remote, local officials and residents say.
Last month, Newsom made his first visits to the aging South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego and the renovated San Antonio de los Buenos plant in Baja California.
After years of deferred maintenance, the San Diego plant received an additional $103 million in the 2024 federal budget for repairs that will take several years. The Baja plant will soon begin treating sewage, and once both plants are up and running at full capacity, sewage flows are expected to be reduced by 90% when combined with other measures.
Other federal agencies are also investigating the health concerns of nearby residents suffering from respiratory illnesses and unexplained gastroenteritis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived last month to conduct a health investigation. Local officials and more than 500 residents signed a petition asking the Environmental Protection Agency to declare the river a Superfund site and investigate the presence of hazardous waste in the river bed.
“Thanks to our partnership with international, federal and local partners, we are making real progress,” Newsom said in a statement last month after the visit.
Meanwhile, the county Board of Supervisors voted last month to purchase $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for residents, with funding ultimately coming from the California Air Resources Board.
Call to declare a state of emergency without response
Some critics argue that politicians are not acting with the necessary sense of urgency. Newsom met with Baja Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda, San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas and the International Boundary and Wastewater Commission, but local officials and residents felt left out.
“I feel like it was just a photo op,” said Marcus Busch, a National City councilman and member of the Air Pollution Control District who signed the petition to the EPA. Neither San Diego County mayors nor members of the media were invited to Newsom’s press conference. When asked, the governor’s office did not provide any explanation.
“I want to give the governor the benefit of the doubt,” Bush said, but added, “Why aren’t you accepting calls and information?” He wondered aloud whether Newsom was dodging questions about his refusal to declare a state of emergency for the region.
Gov. Gavin Newsom in a blue shirt meets with officials in San Diego on October 28, 2024.
(Courtesy of Supervisor Nora Vargas)
All 18 San Diego County mayors signed a letter this year asking Newsom to declare a state of emergency. The California Coastal Commission also voted unanimously to request the Biden administration to declare a federal state of emergency, although under federal law such a request must be made by the governor. Mr. Newsom has rejected those pleas, and the White House appears far from making any significant progress.
In a letter to the California Coastal Commission and San Diego County mayor, Newsom’s office argued that declaring a federal emergency will not speed up needed repairs at wastewater treatment plants. The office also said it does not believe the river situation meets the definition of a natural disaster under federal law.
Residents say the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could clean up and divert the river if a state of emergency is declared. Last year, severe storms sent thousands of tons of debris into the river, which took nearly five months to clear and damaged several pumps in the sewage system. Some people want more efficient trash skimmers to prevent waste from clogging treatment facilities.
“While everyone agrees that untreated sewage in rivers poses an environmental and health crisis, [Newsom and Vargas] They are also actively doing things that undermine the state of emergency,” Bush said.
super fund split
Adding to the confusion, county supervisors voted last month to postpone consideration of a petition asking the EPA to declare the river a Superfund site. Vargas, who represents the South San Diego area most affected by the odor, voted in favor of the postponement.
The petition was filed by Supervisor Terra Lawson Lemar, who represents the coastal area just north of the Tijuana River estuary. After the vote, Lawson-Remer, along with other local officials, filed a petition.
“I moved forward because I think it’s urgent,” she said in an interview. “While it would be desirable for the entire supervisory board to act, it is not necessary.”
Lawson Roemer said at last month’s board meeting that he was concerned about additional pollutants in the river, not just sewage. Potentially toxic chemicals and heavy metals have been detected in the sediment, but local authorities lack the ability to clean it up on their own. Even if the EPA determines the river qualifies for Superfund designation, the petition is the first step in a long process that could take years.
Mr. Vargas did not respond to an interview. But at board meetings and in public statements, she expressed concern that moving forward with the EPA petition too quickly could negatively impact property values and local businesses.
Vargas said the Superfund designation could halt a project to clean up the South Bay to create parks for underserved communities, the Voice of San Diego news site reported. He said he voted against the EPA’s petition because of concerns.
“I support the spirit of this board letter,” Vargas said last month. However, “this could delay local efforts already underway and negatively impact the limited recreational space already available in South County.”
The board voted 3-2 to extend consideration of the petition for 90 days and allow the county to gather feedback and information.
Lawson-Remer said the reasons given by Vargas for the delay are unfounded. “The health of our families and our children is by far our No. 1 concern,” she said. “Property value is secondary.”
uncertain future
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre visited the White House twice to meet with President Biden’s Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Brenda Mallory to seek support. She plans to make her final plea in person next month.
President-elect Donald Trump previously approved $300 million to stop cross-border pollution as part of the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. However, Mr. Trump has promised to cut the federal budget when he takes office in 2025, and Mr. Aguirre is concerned about budget cuts. Disaster relief funds. Lee Zeldin, President Trump’s pick to head the EPA, is also expected to roll back regulations.
“If he dismantles the EPA…I wish all of us good luck, because we don’t know what the strategy is going to be,” Aguirre said.
Damaged local economy
Meanwhile, residents say the pollution is already hurting the local economy. The closure of beaches due to pollution has led to a steady decline in visitors to Imperial Beach, from 2.1 million in 2018 to just under 700,000 in 2023, according to figures provided by the mayor’s office.
Local restaurateur Gabriel Uribe has run Baja Oyster and Sushi Bar in Imperial Beach, a few miles from the ranch, for 25 years, and also hosts outdoor parties for quinceañeras and graduations.
At Uribe’s parties, guests are leaving early because the air smells like rotten eggs, and he said the county’s air filters don’t solve all the problems. “It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that needs stitches,” he added.
Uribe, who signed the EPA petition, is concerned that the value of his property could be affected if a Superfund site is declared, and that his property could even be taken away through a prominent domain. I am concerned that there is. But he wants authorities to act quickly to address his health concerns.
“My chest is wheezing. I have an irregular heartbeat,” Uribe said. He couldn’t breathe and went to the emergency room.
Deborah Vance, who owns a real estate agency in Imperial Beach, said her business is already affected by the pollution as potential buyers are reluctant to buy property in the city. She struggled to sell four properties in Imperial Beach last year, an unprecedented slowdown.
“The impact is enormous,” she said of the contamination. She added that all the agents who worked with her have quit or moved on. “It’s devastating.”
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