Key facts
- California Governor Gavin Newsom is releasing $46 million in voter-approved funds for cross-border pollution cleanup.
- The funding targets the Tijuana River and the New River, which carry sewage and industrial waste.
- The money is part of Proposition 4, a $10 billion bond measure passed in 2024.
- Grants will focus on reducing bacteria and trash and addressing public health impacts.
- Newsom urged the Trump administration to provide additional federal funding and lasting solutions.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that $46 million in voter-approved funding will be made available to combat cross-border pollution affecting the Tijuana River and the New River. This initiative aims to address the long-standing environmental crisis, which has resulted in billions of gallons of raw sewage, industrial chemicals, and trash entering the waterways since 2018.
The funding, derived from Proposition 4, a $10 billion bond measure approved by voters in 2024, will be distributed through competitive grants. These grants are intended for projects focused on reducing bacteria and trash, mitigating public health issues stemming from the pollution, and supporting restoration efforts. Proposition 4 mandates that at least 40% of its funds benefit communities disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental contamination.
The Tijuana River's pollution, which flows into the Pacific Ocean, emits toxic hydrogen sulfide gas, posing health risks such as asthma attacks, headaches, and respiratory issues. The New River, flowing north to the Salton Sea, carries similar pollutants from industrial, domestic, and agricultural sources.
Environmental advocates, like Phillip Musegaas of San Diego Coastkeeper, welcomed the funding but emphasized its insufficiency, calling for greater federal investment in wastewater infrastructure. Governor Newsom reiterated his call for the Trump administration to fulfill its commitments and implement permanent solutions to what he described as a decades-long federal failure.
An agreement was signed last year between the U.S. and Mexico to upgrade wastewater treatment plants to manage Tijuana's growing population and industrial waste, a process expected to take several years.