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Board approves $2.4 million Tijuana River Valley habitat restoration amid public health concerns
Summary
As part of a consent agenda the board approved habitat restoration in the Tijuana River Valley tied to Navy mitigation. Supervisors and public commenters raised concerns about sewage flows and potential hazards for workers and residents; the consent agenda passed unanimously.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on May 21 approved its consent agenda, including a $2,400,000 habitat-restoration project in the Tijuana River Valley tied to Navy mitigation on county-owned land.
Supervisor Jim Desmond raised concerns about sending workers into the valley while sewage and cross-border flow issues persist, telling colleagues, "we've got 5,000,000 gallons of sewage coming via the Tijuana River every day, into San Diego County." He said that raised questions about hazardous gases, bacteria levels and gastrointestinal risks for restoration crews.
Public commenters during the consent-agenda discussion echoed health and odor complaints and said sewage impacts have been spreading into neighborhoods. One caller said they had smelled sewage in their home for the first time in recent nights and described a growing problem; another speaker urged the county to prioritize sewage infrastructure fixes on the Mexican side rather than repeated cleanup on the U.S. side.
Supporters noted the restoration funding is part of Navy mitigation requirements and that debris removal and invasive-plant management are needed to improve habitat condition. The board approved the full consent agenda — items 1 through 6 — in a single motion, and the motion passed unanimously among supervisors present.
Supervisor Desmond said he would support the restoration item but wanted his concerns noted and requested that the county continue pushing for broader solutions to the cross-border sewage problem.
The consent-package vote included routine approvals and an annual beach water-testing agreement noted elsewhere on the consent calendar; specific consent-item documents list more detailed project scopes and funding sources.
