State Legislators Representing the CA-MX Border Introduce Assembly Joint Resolution 16 that Urges Federal Action to Address Cross-Border Pollution Crisis

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego), Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez (R-El Centro), and Senator Padilla (D-Chula Vista), announced that Assembly Joint Resolution 16 (AJR 16) has passed unanimously in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. 

AJR 16 calls on the United States Congress and President Donald J. Trump to declare a national emergency due to the ongoing impacts on public health, the environment, and the local economy caused by transboundary flows of untreated wastewater, sediment and solid waste in South San Diego and Imperial Valley. The resolution highlights decades of environmental harm and public health risks caused by transboundary pollution flowing from Mexico into California through the Tijuana and New Rivers. 

AJR 16 urges immediate federal action to address the environmental injustice facing communities in Imperial Beach and Calexico, which have endured beach closures, air and water contamination, and diminished economic activity.

“Enough is enough. Border communities like Imperial Beach, San Ysidro and Calexico should not be treated as sacrifice zones,” said Assemblymember David Alvarez. “This is not just a water issue— study upon study have found that it is a public health emergency, which demands a national response. We are calling on President Donald J. Trump and Congress to act with urgency and scale that this disaster demands.”

Since 2018, more than 200 billion gallons of toxic wastewater have crossed into California through the Tijuana River. Both Imperial Beach and the County of San Diego have declared ongoing states of emergency, while the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant—critical infrastructure for the region—remains underfunded and out of compliance with the Clean Water Act.

“The people of Imperial County have lived with the impacts of New River pollution for far too long. This is not just an environmental concern—it’s a public health challenge that affects our communities every day,” said Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez. I respectfully urge federal government to recognize the seriousness of this crisis and to declare a national emergency. With federal partnership, we can work together to ensure a cleaner, safer and healthier future for families on both sides of our border.”

Recent studies by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography linked up to 76 percent of bacteria in the City of Imperial Beach’s air to transboundary flow pollution. Moreover, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the County of San Diego completed the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey that found that the ongoing sewage crisis is disrupting the lives of the population surveyed in south County of San Diego, such as decreasing outdoor activities for more than 70 percent of the population.

AJR 16 calls for:

• Full funding of the EPA’s infrastructure plan to stop sewage spills at the source.
• A national emergency declaration to unlock additional federal resources.
• Long-term operation and maintenance support for wastewater treatment facilities.
• Immediate action to end beach closures, which have lasted over 1,270 consecutive days in some areas.
• Federal investments to address pollution in the New River, which flows from Mexicali to the Salton Sea and affects the community of Calexico.

AJR 16 builds upon years of advocacy, litigation, and local resolutions demanding accountability from the International Boundary and Water Commission and renewed commitment from federal agencies. 

The resolution will now advance to the full Assembly for further consideration. 

###

The 80th Assembly District includes the communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, Lincoln Acres, Bonita, Otay Mesa and San Ysidro, along with the cities of Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach.