HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2025-026RESOLUTION NO. 2025-026
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CHULA VISTA EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR SENATE BILL
10 REGARDING TIJUANA RIVER VALLEY POLLUTION
MITIGATION
WHEREAS, the Tijuana River Valley has long suffered from severe environmental
degradation due to transboundary pollution, including untreated sewage, industrial waste, and
other contaminants that flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve is the largest coastal
wetland and one of the few remaining salt marshes in Southern California, making it a critical
ecological area for native wildlife and water quality protection; and
WHEREAS, communities in South San Diego County, including Imperial Beach and
Chula Vista, have been disproportionately impacted by the pollution crisis, experiencing elevated
rates of respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal diseases, and skin conditions linked to exposure to
contaminated water and air; and
WHEREAS, the rapid economic expansion in the U.S.-Mexico border region, driven by
trade agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), has increased
industrial production, cross-border transportation, and waste generation, exacerbating pollution in
the Tijuana River Valley; and
WHEREAS, despite the construction of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment
Plant (SBIWTP) in 1996, ongoing infrastructure deficiencies, unexpected high flows, and lack of
long-term funding have left the facility overwhelmed, resulting in an estimated 100 billion gallons
of untreated sewage being dumped into the Tijuana River over the past five years; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, Congress allocated $300 million through the USMCA for
infrastructure improvements to mitigate transboundary flows, and in 2024, Congress appropriated
an additional $156 million to address pollution issues, yet there remains no ongoing and reliable
funding source to maintain operations of the SBIWTP; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) seeks to establish a dedicated and permanent funding
source to mitigate transboundary sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley by allowing toll
revenues from the proposed East Otay Mesa Port of Entry to be used for environmental restoration,
wastewater infrastructure, and related projects that benefit residents of San Diego County; and
WHEREAS, ensuring a sustainable funding mechanism to combat pollution in the Tijuana
River Valley is essential to protecting public health, natural resources, and the regional economy
for Chula Vista and surrounding communities.
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Resolution No. 2025-026
Page No. 2
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista,
that it expresses its strong support for SB 10 and urges the California Legislature and Governor to
enact this critical legislation to secure a long-term solution to the ongoing environmental and
public health crisis in the Tijuana River Valley.
Presented by Approved as to form by
Michael Inzunza Marco A. Verdugo
Councilmember, District 3 City Attorney
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista,
California, this 25th day of February 2025 by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers: Chavez, Fernandez, Inzunza, and Preciado
NAYS: Councilmembers: McCann
ABSENT: Councilmembers: None
John McCann, Mayor
ATTEST:
Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO )
CITY OF CHULA VISTA )
I, Kerry K. Bigelow, City Clerk of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution No. 2025-026 was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council at a regular
meeting of the Chula Vista City Council held on the 25th day of February 2025.
Executed this 25th day of February 2025.
Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk
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