EPA chief vows aggressive action on sewage crisis along U.S.-Mexico border
(UI) — EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has vowed to intensify the agency’s response to the ongoing sewage contamination stemming from the Tijuana River Valley, though he stopped short of granting Superfund site status to Imperial Beach, according to NBC 7 San Diego.
Local officials, including Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, continue to press for federal intervention, citing new scientific evidence that soil, air, and water in the region are contaminated. Aguirre expressed frustration over the EPA’s continued reliance on outdated and unreliable data in its decision to reject a Superfund designation.
Despite that, Zeldin signaled a more aggressive stance going forward. In a written statement, he said the EPA is prepared to coordinate with agencies on both sides of the border to directly confront the crisis, calling for an end to “excuses, delays, or exceptions”, NBC 7 San Diego reported.
Residents say the health and environmental toll is getting worse, with sewage odors reaching as far inland as San Ysidro and beach closures remaining common due to polluted water. Beyond sewage, officials are also concerned about industrial runoff flowing into U.S. waters from neighboring Mexican facilities.
While the Superfund program is typically used to hold polluters financially accountable for cleanups, its complexity and delays have prompted some to seek alternative solutions. Mayor Aguirre emphasized that the path forward matters less than the urgency to act.
Zeldin has committed to visiting the area in person to speak with local leaders and assess the damage firsthand.
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