Letter gives insight into why Newsom won't declare emergency over border water pollution crisis

Letter gives insight into why Newsom won't declare emergency over U S-Mexico border water pollution crisis

Governor Newsom has finally responded to repeated calls for a state of emergency declaration over the sewage crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

For months now, San Diego County leaders have come together to ask the governor to issue a state of emergency over the sewage crisis, to no avail. Until Tuesday,  Governor Newsom had not publicly stated why he would not issue an order.

In a letter to the California Coastal Commission obtained by NBC 7, Newsom’s office said a jurisdictional prevents him from issuing an emergency.

“A state proclamation of emergency cannot accelerate federal work needed on this federal facility that is a federally controlled area on an international border,” said David Sapp, Newsom’s legal affairs secretary.

The letter goes on to say, “The Southbay International Wastewater Treatment Plant is a facility for which exclusive responsibility and authority, rests with the federal government and transboundary water flows also fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction.”

The letter notes that Governor Newsom has taken other actions, focused on getting real solutions:

• Has engaged with the federal and binational partners, requesting urgent, action and additional funding
• Joined the state and local leaders in their support to call for $310 million to address the crisis
• Focused on unlocking federal funds to ensure necessary repairs for the federal water treatment plant

Meantime, the Mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, responded to the letter at Wednesday’s coastal commission meeting, thanking Governor Newsom for his response and clarification on why a state of emergency wouldn’t be helpful.

“But what I would like to request at this point on behalf of the people suffering, on behalf of Imperial Beach, on behalf of the entire south San Diego region is for him to help us in championing our calls to President Biden because as many have mentioned, the situation is so dire that we cannot afford to wait for a congressional appropriations process as we have for the last 17-20 years,” said Mayor Paloma Aguirre of Imperial Beach.

Federal help on the way for cross-border sewage crisis in San Diego County

Aguirre says they need $900 million to $1 billion to repair and expand the water treatment facility.

The commissioners agreed at their next meeting to consider asking President Biden to declare a state of emergency and having Newsom do the same thing by putting pressure on the federal government.