Last week, I sat down with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for a roundtable focused on a crisis that’s poisoned our coastlines for decades: the relentless dumping of toxic sewage from Mexico into Southern California’s waters. This wasn’t another meeting about more studies, more delays, or more bureaucratic finger-pointing. It was about one thing: action. I told Administrator Zeldin what so many San Diegans already know: this isn’t just an environmental disaster — it’s a national security threat. When our Navy SEALs — the elite warriors of our military — are forced to abandon training operations due to contaminated waters, we have crossed a line. When our families can’t enjoy our beaches without the risk of serious illness, something is fundamentally broken. The good news? Your voices are being heard.
–Written by Jim Desmond, member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.