U.S.-Mexico Environmental Partnership Bringing Cleaner Water And Air To Border CommunitiesSeptember 10, 2008
At a ceremony concluding this year's Border 2012 National Coordinators
meeting held in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the U.S. and Mexico pledged to
continue removing millions of abandoned tires, provide additional water
and sanitation, promote biodiesel, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
from diesel trucks operating along the border.
"Our border program aims to protect the environment and public health in two countries through partnership of federal, state and local government and the U.S. border tribes," EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Green said. "Today over 4 million people have benefited from improved sanitation and access to clean drinking water." At this year's Border 2012 National Coordinator's Meeting, environmental successes include:
"As partners, the U.S. and Mexico are working together to tackle tough environmental issues in the border area," said Laura Yoshii, Deputy Regional Administrator for the EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. "Our joint efforts along the border have lead to significant environmental accomplishments benefiting U.S., Mexican, and Tribal communities." "As we set out to do last year, we took stock of our accomplishments, identified key actions to complete our work, and committed to more aggressive targets in cases where we have achieved our original goals," said Armando Yañez, National Coordinator for SEMARNAT. A Joint Contingency Plan was signed last night, concluding this year's Border 2012 National Coordinators meeting, which was hosted by Mexico's Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT) in collaboration with the EPA and participation of border states, county and local governments, representatives from U.S. tribes and Mexico indigenous communities, and a broad array of non-governmental organizations. The U.S. EPA's Border 2012 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program protects the environment and public health for 10 states on both sides of the 2,000-mile border, including 26 U.S. tribes and seven groups of Mexican indigenous people. The Border 2012 program seeks to reduce pollution in water, air, and on land, reduce exposure to chemicals from accidental releases or terrorism, and improve environmental stewardship. For more information, please visit: www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/border_success.htm SOURCE: U.S.-Mexico Environmental |