BORDER ENVIRONMENTCOOPERATION COMMISSION

Mitigating Impacts on Water Resources: Environmental Infrastructure Investment

Our Role in the US/Mexico Border

• US-Mexico Border Environment Cooperation Agreement Signed in October 1993– Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC)

• Preserve, protect, and enhance US-MEX border region by identifying, developing, certifying, implementing and overseeing environmental infrastructure projects.

– North American Development Bank (NADB)• Finance the construction of projects certified by BECC

• Accomplishing our Mandate: – By Strengthening Cooperation and Supporting

Sustainable Projects through a Transparent Binational Process in Coordination with the NADB, federal, state and local agencies, the private sector, and civil society.

• Project Development and Certification– Green Building Practices– Sustainable Development

Border-wide Environmental Objectives

• Effective water management practices will be applied, incorporating conservation and pollution prevention for three primary uses (urban, agriculture, and eco-systems).

• Effective wastewater management practices will be applied, incorporating pollution prevention and reuse.

• Effective municipal and hazardous waste management practices will be implemented encouraging pollution prevention, waste reduction, recycling, proper disposal and site remediation/restoration.

• Improved air quality will be in place through compliance with air quality standards, by strategies including pollution prevention, emission reductions, and efficient transportation.

• Energy generation and use will be achieved in a sustainable manner.

Water Management: Conservation and Efficiency

• Agriculture– Modernization of Irrigation Practices– Sustainable Agriculture Practices – Crop Management– Improved Delivery Services– Policy Support

• Municipal and Industrial (M&I)– Planned Development– Investment in Rehab and Replacement– Diversifying Water Supply– Capacity Building– Conservation and Drought-Management Plans– Education and Recycling

Wastewater Management:Pollution Prevention and Re-Use

• Engineering Solutions – Design Standard Modifications

• Increasing Coverage

• Investment in Rehab and Replacement

• Developing Re-Use Opportunities

• Storm Water Management

Water SewerWastewaterTreatment

1995

2005

96

86

80

9170

310

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Co

vera

ge

(%

)

Treatment Capacity to meet 300 million gallons per day of raw or inadequately treated wastewater

City of Pharr, TX

Sewer overflow

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Needs$1 Billion in Needs documented through BEIF/PDAP Applications

Small rural communities with no services at all Primary Water Quality Standard violations Medium-size cities with aging infrastructure

that threatens the environment or human health

US: 105 Projects = 462.7 M

MX: 99 Projects = $492.6 M

Colonia Esperanza, Chih., MX

Small rural communities and city neighborhoods with no service coverage

Medium and large cities with insufficient infrastructure for adequate and/or full wastewater treatment

No sewerservice

Needs directly affect an estimated 4.6 million residents, 35% of the border region population FY07/08 Applications propose to address an estimated 200 mgpd of untreated/inadequately treated WW discharges.

Waste Management, Air Quality and Energy:

Reducing Green House Gases

• Recycling and Proper Disposal

• Waste to Energy– Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) -

Methane to Markets Initiative– Scrap Tire Management

• Energy Audits

• Alternative Energy Solutions

• Transportation

Meeting the Challenge

• Local Initiatives and Partnerships– Capacity Building at all levels– “Smart” Planning – “Clean Cities”– Green Building Practices

• Research and Development– Needs Assessments – Establishing Baseline Conditions

• Accelerate Investment: Planning through Implementation– Federal Programs

• US-Mexico Border Program, etc.

– State and Local

• Policy Consideration– Water Use and Competing Demands– Incentive-based Systems– International Agreements

Thank You

Renata Manning-GbogboSenior Policy Advisorrmanning@cocef.org