EPA director says he's coming to check out America's 2nd most endangered river

The Tijuana River's designation as the second most endangered river in America has sparked alarm among environmental advocates and local officials. This shift, reported by American Rivers, marks a significant deterioration in the river's health, moving from ninth place to second. The Mississippi River currently tops the list. For decades, untreated sewage from Tijuana has polluted the river and the Pacific Ocean, a crisis worsened by the breakdown of wastewater treatment facilities in 2020. As a consequence, Imperial Beach has been largely closed off due to the discharge of billions of gallons of raw sewage over the past four years.

Coronado Mayor John Duncan expressed outrage, highlighting the visible signs of pollution on local beaches. He, along with other leaders, is advocating for resolutions that could impose sanctions on Mexico to address the sewage crisis effectively. U. S. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has also committed to visiting the border region to assess the situation firsthand and emphasize the need for immediate action against the pollution.