IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — As Californians prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday, the decades-long Tijuana sewage crisis is shaping up to be a key issue for many South Bay voters.
Several candidates in the governor's race recently toured the Tijuana River Valley with San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, who has been pushing for stronger state and federal action to address the ongoing cross-border pollution crisis.
During the visit, Aguirre asked candidates whether they would declare a state of emergency in response to the sewage contamination that has plagued South Bay communities for years.
Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Xavier Becerra all said they would support a state of emergency declaration if elected.
Steve Hilton said he would defer to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and work with the Trump Administration to solve the issue.
ABC 10News reached out to Chad Bianco, but has not received a response yet.
Several candidates also emphasized the need to work with federal officials and Mexico to address the flow of untreated wastewater that continues to impact communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The candidates' support for a state of emergency declaration contrasts with Gov. Gavin Newsom's position on the issue.
Newsom has repeatedly said he does not believe a state of emergency would solve the problem. Instead, his administration has highlighted investments in projects aimed at reducing cross-border pollution and improving water quality in the region.
A spokesperson for the governor wrote ABC 10News and said:
"In July, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin committed the Trump administration to “a permanent, 100% solution” [urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud] to the Tijuana River. We’d recommend you reach out to the EPA on the status of this commitment, which was frankly long overdue. This is an international issue under the jurisdiction of the federal government, not the state. Look no further than the wastewater treatment plant [urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud] responsible for the TJ River: it's a federal facility, making the federal government directly responsible for both the infrastructure and the fix."
