Board to convene special Tijuana River Valley meeting with state and federal co‑leads after residents cite health impacts

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to convene a special meeting focused on the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis and to ask state and federal elected officials to co‑lead the convening.

Vice Chair Lawson Reimer introduced the item, saying county staff had identified multiple tools and opportunities that were not yet being fully used and that a stakeholder convening could focus partners on which actions are not happening and how to coordinate more effectively. Staff and supervisors repeatedly referenced the number of agencies already involved — federal (EPA, CDC), state, county, air‑quality and water authorities, the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), and municipal and Mexican agencies — and said clearer, higher‑level coordination was needed.

Public commenters urged urgent action. Ryan Tribuco called in on behalf of Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and cited results from a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) survey: 80% of respondents said their quality of life had been negatively affected by the sewage crisis; 71% reported smelling sewage inside or outside their homes; 69% said one or more household members had experienced health symptoms they attributed to the sewage; and 67% said they believed their health had worsened. Numerous callers urged the county to pursue federal remedies, including a national‑priority (Superfund) listing or other EPA action; other callers urged more immediate local relief and accountability from Mexico.

Vice Chair Lawson Reimer and Supervisor Joel Anderson discussed strategy for the convening. Anderson recommended the county invite the local congressional and state delegation and ask them to co‑lead, noting the federal balance of budget and convening power could attract better participation from state and federal agencies. Several supervisors agreed; staff recommended formal outreach that would present the convening as co‑led by elected officials to maximize turnout and authority.

The board approved a motion to convene the special Tijuana River Valley meeting but amended the request to instruct staff to engage the county’s state and federal elected officials as co‑leads and to include them on initial invitations. Supervisor Jim Desmond seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous.

What the board asked staff to do

The board directed staff to plan a stakeholder convening that would bring federal, state, Mexican, regional and local partners together; to include state and federal electeds as co‑leads on invitations; and to return with details on timing and scope. Staff said the convening will aim to clarify what tools are available, what work is already underway, and which actions are not being taken — and to identify where the county can push for additional activity.

Context and public concern

Supervisors and members of the public noted that the county has declared a state of emergency on the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis and that the congressional delegation secured more than $650 million for the region’s sewage‑infrastructure work. Staff and callers said EPA, CDC and local agencies have been active but that some federal options (including an earlier attempt to seek Superfund designation) were “stymied” and that a narrower or better‑coordinated federal request could be more successful.

Several callers urged the county to press the EPA and the federal delegation or to pursue immediate remedies; others asked the county to pursue enforcement, mitigation funds, and faster work on both sides of the border. Staff emphasized that many tools available to federal and state agencies fall outside direct county authority but said the county has convening power and can use that authority to press partners to act.

Speakers quoted in this article come from the public record of the Jan. 28, 2025 board meeting.