Several California state assembly memebers are asking President Trump to declare a state of emergency as a way to quickly mitigate sewage pollution that for decades has been tainting the Tijuana River Valley just north of the border. On Tuesday morning, legislation known as AJR 16, received unanimous support in the Assembly’s Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. Assemblymember David Alvarez, one of the sponsors, says Trump needs to take action to address the “environmental injustice facing communities, which have endured beach closures, air and water contamination, and diminished economic activity.” … According to his office, more than 200 billion gallons of toxic wastewater have flowed into California from Mexico along the Tijuana River since 2018. AJR 16 also takes into account the New River that runs through the city of Calexico in the Imperial Valley. For years, this waterway has been polluted with industrial waste, urban runoff, chemicals and fertilizers that originated south of the border.

Other Tijuana River news:

• Border Report: Trash boom stops 500 tons of Mexican trash at the border​