1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

I urge you to vote for and pass SB2260, the Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act, which addresses decades of severe water pollution threatening California communities along the United States-Mexico border. An estimated 36.154 billion gallons of wastewater, treated water, and stormwater flowed from Mexico into the United States between January and December 2024 alone. This contamination affects the Tijuana River and New River watersheds, exposing residents of Imperial Beach, San Diego, the Imperial Valley, and areas surrounding the Salton Sea to dangerous levels of bacteria, chemicals, and other contaminants. The New River has been recognized since the 1980s as one of the most polluted rivers in the United States, while chronic sewage spills in the Tijuana River watershed continue to threaten public health and devastate coastal tourism and recreation industries through repeated beach closures. Current infrastructure is failing. The June 2024 pump station failure exemplifies the urgent need for sustained federal investment. The aging Tijuana sewer system and Mexican wastewater treatment facilities cannot handle current flows, and existing U.S. efforts have proven insufficient to protect our communities. SB2260 establishes two comprehensive Geographic Programs within the EPA, authorizing $50 million annually for each program from fiscal years 2026 through 2036. The legislation requires development of action plans within one year of enactment, building on the July 2022 Statement of Intent between the United States and Mexico. It authorizes coordination with the International Boundary and Water Commission, the North American Development Bank, and Mexican authorities to address pollution at its source while funding critical infrastructure improvements within affected U.S. watersheds. California residents deserve protection from transboundary contamination that threatens their health, environment, and economic wellbeing. I ask you to support SB2260 and secure the federal resources necessary to restore water quality in these critically impaired border watersheds.