For decades, families along our coastline and in South County have been forced to live with the consequences of international inaction — toxic sludge in the Tijuana River Valley, contaminated air, and closed beaches.

The water’s still dirty. But the momentum is shifting. This week, we took another step forward because hundreds of you raised your voices and demanded it.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors passed two key proposals to advance the 5-Point Sewage Action Plan we initiated in June. These measures, led by Supervisor Paloma Aguirre in partnership with our office, aren’t the finish line, but they are important tools to accelerate the process.

What Passed This Week:

✔️ A comprehensive economic impact study to quantify the financial toll of pollution on local businesses, property values, and families
✔️ A scientific public health assessment focused on hydrogen sulfide and airborne toxins harming schoolchildren, essential workers, and residents

These aren’t just “another study,”  they’re launchpads for long-term remediation.

With hard data in hand, we can:

• Prove damages — laying the foundation for lawsuits against polluters and negligent agencies
  
  
• Strengthen our Superfund case — building the evidence the EPA needs to declare a federal cleanup
  
  
• Target infrastructure investments — so we can compete for state and federal dollars with real shovel-ready plans

Studies that sit on shelves are useless. But studies that build legal and financial leverage — that’s how we win.

This is the kind of pragmatic, strategic action that defines how we should lead. And this week’s action builds on months of hard work:

• Declaring a formal County State of Emergency on the sewage crisis
• Distributing air filters to protect kids and seniors from breathing toxic fumes
• Expanding real-time testing and public alerts so families can make informed decisions
• Investing in stormwater and culvert upgrades to reduce toxic flow into residential neighborhoods
• Advocating for permanent cleanup dollars from state and federal agencies

I’m proud to serve as co-chair of the Board’s cross-border sewage subcommittee alongside Supervisor Aguirre. We share a clear commitment to protecting our region’s public health, environment, and economy and we’re backing it with pragmatic actions.

Want to stay in the loop?

We’re going to keep pushing, and I want to make sure those most affected are always at the table. If you’d like more frequent updates on the County’s sewage response — and how you can help — just reply to this email and I’ll add you to the list.

We’ll keep fighting, together.