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-Editorial
On the opening day of the 2025/2026 legislative session, Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 10, a legislation aimed at creating a permanent source of funding for the much-needed remediation of the Tijuana River Valley. The bill proposes to allocate funds from the newly established toll road at the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry to restore the Tijuana River Valley and tackle its environmental crisis head-on.
For decades, the Tijuana River has been a source of severe contamination, with billions of gallons of wastewater, industrial waste, and pollution flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border into California’s southern coast. The result has been a disastrous impact on the health, economy, and environment of San Diego residents, particularly those living in South Bay communities such as Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, and San Ysidro.
The Tijuana River Watershed, which is already one of the most heavily impacted watersheds in California, was recently named one of America’s ten most endangered rivers by the environmental organization American Rivers. This designation follows a detailed analysis of the hazardous conditions caused by untreated industrial waste and raw sewage, which continue to pollute the river and adjacent areas.
The magnitude of the pollution issue has been compounded by the inadequacy of existing sewage treatment facilities along the river, which are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of wastewater. Despite ongoing efforts to mitigate the contamination, the situation continues to worsen, presenting a public health crisis for the surrounding communities.
In December 2023, Senator Padilla, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on California-Mexico Cooperation and Dialogue, held a hearing to address cross-border pollution. The hearing included testimony from federal officials, local elected representatives, environmental experts, and concerned citizens. From those discussions, Senator Padilla crafted a comprehensive legislative package designed to address not only the sources of pollution but also the systemic infrastructure issues that have allowed the contamination to persist.
“The crisis at the Tijuana River comes from decades of neglect,” said Senator Padilla. “We must explore every source of funding and every option available to us to finally put an end to the poison in the very air we breathe. We will no longer accept anything but the justice this community deserves.”
SB 10 directly seeks to create a sustainable and reliable funding stream for projects focused on the remediation and restoration of the Tijuana River Valley. Specifically, it would authorize the allocation of toll road revenue from the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry to fund water treatment, environmental mitigation, and infrastructure improvements. These funds would be used to address the sewage crisis, improve wastewater infrastructure, and support environmental restoration projects that will benefit the residents of South San Diego County and neighboring areas.
The bill has garnered significant support from a broad coalition of environmental justice groups, community organizations, and local leaders who have long advocated for solutions to the pollution problem.
“In August, our City Council took a decisive step by unanimously approving a resolution to establish a long-term environmental mitigation fund, leveraging the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry, to specifically address the pollution impacts of transboundary sewage flows from the Tijuana River,” said Paloma Aguirre, Mayor of Imperial Beach. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Senator Padilla for championing this critical issue as legislation today and for his unwavering advocacy for our communities. I strongly urge California legislators to stand with us and support this vital bill.”
“Coastkeeper strongly supports Senator Padilla’s tireless efforts to secure funding and political attention to resolve the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis,” said Phillip Musegaas, Executive Director of San Diego Coastkeeper. “The Otay East border crossing will facilitate billions of dollars in trade between the U.S. and Mexico—it is high time people living in our South County communities benefit from the same trade that has burdened them with toxic air and water pollution for decades.”
WILDCOAST, a leading environmental organization focused on coastal conservation, has also expressed strong support for SB 10. “This bill will provide a direct source of revenue to finance environmental mitigation measures to restore the Tijuana River Valley and reduce the impact of increasing cross-border pollution,” said Serge Dedina, Ph.D., Executive Director of WILDCOAST. “This legislation represents a significant step toward reversing the damage to our environment and safeguarding our communities’ access to clean water and air.”
Local residents are also feeling the effects of the ongoing pollution. “The toxic waste flowing in the Tijuana River Watershed and resulting environmental catastrophe continues to worsen by the day,” said Sarah Davidson and Bethany Case of Clean Border Water Now and Surfrider Foundation. “We must prioritize the safety of frontline communities bearing the brunt of this public health and environmental justice emergency by investing in immediate relief and long-term infrastructure solutions. We are glad to see legislation introduced that would provide much-needed funding to address this emergency and we support this effort.”
The environmental and health impacts of cross-border sewage contamination are not limited to the residents of the South Bay. “Every day, my coworkers and I are exposed to these hazardous conditions, which directly threaten our health and well-being,” said Ashley Hedrick, Ocean Lifeguard II for the City of Imperial Beach and member of SEIU 221. “This bill aims to secure long-term funding for the cleanup of the Tijuana River Basin, ensuring that we can restore safety to our local environment and allow the public to once again enjoy places like Imperial Beach without fear of contamination.”
The wildlife in the region is also under threat from the pollution. “The Tijuana River watershed, home to over 370 bird species, including five federally endangered species, stands as one of America’s ten most endangered rivers due to toxic pollution that threatens both wildlife and human communities,” said Savannah Stallings, Conservation Advocacy Coordinator at the San Diego Bird Alliance. “Senator Padilla’s proposal to direct Otay Mesa East Port of Entry toll road funds toward river valley restoration offers hope for protecting this critical ecosystem.”
