Re “Newsom, Feinstein and Harris: Please help with Tijuana River pollution crisis” (Feb. 15): I agree an all-of-the-above approach is needed to address sewage and pollution flowing into California. However, the U-T incorrectly asserted Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Kamala Harris and I haven’t been active on this problem.
For years, I’ve worked with the local border patrol union to address health concerns, including calling for additional funds to clean up sewage to protect agents.
As the editorial notes, the recent government funding bill included $15 million to address water and sewage issues along the border. As an Appropriations Committee member, I advocated for those funds and got them added to the Senate version. I then worked with Representatives Juan Vargas, Scott Peters and Susan Davis to include the higher Senate amount in the final bill, rather than the $10 million from the House version.
I also secured language in the bill requiring the Trump istration to work with the Mexican government to address transboundary sewage flows.
Attention to this issue has been bipartisan. Senator John Cornyn of Texas and I introduced legislation to reauthorize the North American Development Bank, which funds sewage treatment infrastructure improvements on both sides of the border.
And last week I met with Commissioner Jayne Harkins, the new head of the International Boundary and Water Commission, and Martha Barcena, the new Mexican ambassador, to press for stronger actions to fix the problem.
We still have plenty of work to do, but this issue is and will continue to be one of my priorities.
Feinstein is a U.S. senator representing California.
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