The TCEQ Border Initiative

T he Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

has developed a comprehensive, cooperativeeffort to serve border residents. The TCEQ hasindividual projects and also works with local,

state, and federal stakeholders to maximize efforts toimprove the environment of the U.S.-Mexico borderregion. It is a goal of the TCEQ to collaborate with asmany willing partners as possible along the border be-cause the environment knows no border. The initiativestrives to increase-in the border region-cooperationand the exchange of knowledge, experience, and tech-nology related to the environment, as well as promotethe TCEQ's mission of protection of our state's humanand natural resources, consistent with sustainableeconomic development.

The TCEQ border initiative is led by CommissionerGarcia and coordinated through the Border AffairsTeam, under the direction of the executive director. TheTCEQ will ensure that border efforts have a measurableenvironmental benefit.

Local* The TCEQ has three regional border offices

(Harlingen, Laredo, and El Paso). Regional-officepersonnel conduct regular investigations, respond tocomplaints, and serve as first responders for releasesof hazardous materials, among other duties.

l The Rio Grande watermaster is located in theHarlingen Office with a satellite office in EaglePass. The watermaster ensures deliveries of waterto water-rights holders and enforces withdrawals.

E Small Business and Local Government Assistancepersonnel in the three regional offices are theresolely to assist with compliance in these areas.

* Central-office personnel in Austin also offer support.E For instance, the Office of Public Assistance

answers questions about pending TCEQ permits,explains the permitting process and opportunitiesfor public participation, and conducts publicmeetings on permit applications around the state.

El Austin personnel in the Chief Engineer's Officeand Field Operations Support Division work onEl Paso air quality issues to help that area achieveand maintain attainment status with federalstandards.

* The agency has more than 80 full-time employeesdedicated to border work, including regional andBorder Affairs personnel.

Texas Border withMexican States

Guadalupe

....l. ;,; --- Mountains N Pesa P ai sdile

Presdun-o rel

Swea--- Oa -a Edwards1

rM a o oGrunSa

Chihuahua Ona.. .. dd Kn.u.

..... ~,. .F...S u to

NegrPs s TMulen

Coahuila Nuev o

Nolverde

Laredo

Nuevo Ledn st a

The agency collaborates on border environmental goals

with various agencies. Unless otherwise indicated, theseare legislatively mandated.

* Commissioner Rubinstein represents the TCEQ onthe Texas-Mexico Strategic Investment Commission,an interagency group chaired by the Texas border

commerce coordinator. Among its multiple charges,the commission must "identify areas of environmen-tal protection that need to be addressed cooperativelybetween Texas and the Mexican states."

* The border affairs manager serves on the InteragencyWork Group on Border Issues. The TCEQ suppliesinformation on the agency's impact on border com-munities for use in developing public policy.

* In addition, the colonias coordinator from theagency's Border Affairs program represents theTCEQ in the Colonias Coordination Work Group.This interagency effort is led by the colonias coordi-nator in the Office of the Secretary of State and meets

. e .

quarterly to review individual projects in Texas that

ensure delivery of water, wastewater, drainage, andpaved roads to colonia residents.

* The agency helps develop special border reports,in collaboration with other agencies. These include

TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITYGI-392 (5/11) 10 printed on recycled paper

updates on agency activities for the annual Texasborder-commerce coordinator's report and reportson colonia activities, such as the continuing reportsrequired by Senate Bill 99, 80th regular session, ontracking the progress of colonia projects funded bythe State of Texas.

* TCEQ personnel meet regularly with personnelfrom other agencies as needed to ensure comple-tion of border-related projects and activities.For example, the TCEQ is an integral stakeholderwithin the newly created Texas Water InfrastructureCoordination Committee.

National and InternationalThe TCEQ works in national and international arenas to

accomplish environmental-protection goals. The agencyworks with other U.S. and Mexican states, federal agen-

cies in both countries, and binational institutions created

under environmental side agreements to the North

American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Partnerships with Other States* Border Governors Conference. Through the Border

Governors Conference the TCEQ sits on the Environ-ment and Water Work Tables with members of all 10states to develop annual declarations. Commission-ers Garcia and Rubinstein represent the TCEQ at the

Environment and Water Work Tables, respectively.

* State-to-State Strategic Environmental Plans.The TCEQ has developed strategic environmentalplans with Texas' four neighboring Mexican states(Tamaulipas, Nuevo Le6n, Coahuila, and Chihuahua)and is now updating these plans. The plan developedwith Nuevo Leon has been used extensively in thepast two years, and a new agreement was signedwith Nuevo Leon on May 5, 2010. The plans promotetechnical exchange between the TCEQ and the coun-terpart environmental agencies of the other states, aswell as mutually beneficial cooperative work.

Collaboration with NAFTAEnvironmental Agencies* North American Commission on Environmental

Cooperation (CEC). The TCEQ monitors theactivities of the CEC, which was created under thetrilateral (Canada-U.S.-Mexico) environmental sideagreement to NAFTA. Under the CEC charter, each

nation can have two committees advising its respec-tive cabinet-level environmental minister regarding

CEC implementation. Commissioner Rubinsteinserves on the Governmental Advisory Committee

and, with other members, makes consensus recom-mendations to the EPA Administrator.

* The Border Environment Cooperation Commissionand the North American Development Bank. TheTCEQ works closely with these two agencies, createdunder a U.S.-Mexico environmental side agreementto NAFTA, to ensure construction of environmental

infrastructure in the border region with Mexico andto protect the environment and public health.

Partnerships with Local, State, Federal,and Binational Stakeholders* Border 2012. The Border 2012 binational environmen-

tal-protection program is the means by which the U.S.and Mexico implement the La Paz Agreement for theprotection of the U.S.-Mexico border environment.

The TCEQ works with local individuals and organi-zations (including border residents, local communi-ties, academic institutions, and non-governmental

organizations [NGOs]) and local, state, and federalagencies from both sides of the border on commonenvironmental goals. The U.S. EPA and its Mexicancounterpart, SEMARNAT, lead Border 2012.

Border 2012 is a multimedia program (includingair, water, and waste) requiring participation fromagency personnel in six binational work groups,chaired by U.S. and Mexico federal representatives.Agency personnel also participate in two regionalwork groups in Texas and neighboring states-theTri-State and Four-State; both work groups consist of

geographic task forces chaired by local elected officialsfrom both countries, with a federal and state co-chairfrom each country. Commissioner Garcia is the Texasco-chair for the Tri-State and Four-State work groups.

* Good Neighbor Environmental Board. A repre-sentative of the State of Texas sits on the GNEB, anadvisory board to the U.S. President and Congress onenvironmental infrastructure along the U.S.-Mexicoborder. The GNEB is charged with producing anannual report for its clients. The TCEQ Border Affairsmanager is the current Texas GNEB representative.

* Joint Air Quality Advisory Committee. The JAC is abinational group created under the La Paz Agreement.Composed of 22 members-half from each nation inthe Paso del Norte airshed-the group makes recom-mendations to the La Paz Air Work Group on waysto improve air quality in the airshed, as one nation

alone cannot resolve air quality problems. Since itscreation in 1996 and due in large part to implementedrecommendations-such as delivery of oxygenatedfuels to Ciudad Jugrez to reduce carbon monoxide inthe winter-the number of times the national carbonmonoxide standard was exceeded has dropped from

30 per year to one or two. In El Paso, initiatives such asthe vehicle inspection and maintenance program have

resulted in no monitored violations since 2001, and afederal redesignation to attainment status for carbonmonoxide. Additionally, in October 2008, the 10-yearmaintenance plan for reductions of carbon monoxideemissions, as developed by the TCEQ, was approved.

* Lower Rio Grande Watershed Initiative. The agency

is continuing efforts that began in 2008, with Mexicanstate and federal agencies, the EPA, and the Interna-tional Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) todevelop a watershed initiative to restore and protectwater quality in the Rio Grande downstream of Falcon

2

Dam. One objective of the plan will be determiningthe maximum amount of pollutants of human originthat can be discharged to the Lower Rio Grande whilestill maintaining its designated uses.

0 Sister-City Planning. Agency personnel, in both theregional offices and in Border Affairs, support sistercities (cities located on both sides of the border) intheir local planning efforts. For example, in 2009,personnel in the Harlingen regional office workedwith sister cities in the Lower Rio Bravo-Rio GrandeValley to update their joint contingency plan, addingseven smaller, neighboring cities on both sides of theborder. The plan was enhanced to include response to"all hazards," such as hurricanes and floods, not justchemical releases. In February of 2011, in the spirit ofbinational cooperation and because of a close rapportthrough meetings and exercises, the City of Browns-ville gave support to Matamoros during a landfill fire.

2011 Action PlanThe following actions will be carried out by the TCEQ in2011 as part of the agency's Border Initiative. This list isnot comprehensive.

Water* Assist in Developing a Biological Assessment of

the Rio Conchos Basin. Personnel from the TCEQ'sSurface Water Quality Monitoring program are partici-pating in planning and supplying technical assistanceon a binational multistate study involving state andfederal agencies, universities, and NGOs. The goal isto complete a biological assessment of the Rio Con-chos basin in Mexico. Several meetings were held in2009 during which participants discussed an index ofbiological integrity (IBI) and defined the geographi-cal range of the assessment (the Rio Conchos and theRio Grande from El Paso to the Falcon Reservoir).

* Assist Water Systems in the Border Area withCurrent or Pending Enforcement Actions. Personnelfrom the TCEQ Office of Water will perform financial,managerial, and technical assessments for local watersystems that are under enforcement. In addition, theTCEQ will either perform consolidation analysis orproduce compliance-feasibility studies, as requested.

* Conduct Training for Border Municipalities, Dis-tricts, and Investor-Owned Utilities. The border areapresents several unique challenges for water systemsof all sizes, and the TCEQ Water Supply Divisionconducts regular workshops for local water utilities.

* Define "Extraordinary Drought." In 2007 the TCEQ,through the Border Governors Conference WaterTable, worked to include a declaration that the WaterTable would develop a definition of "extraordinarydrought" for the Rio Grande Basin only. The lack of adefinition of this term contributed to delays in settlingMexico's Rio Grande water debt of 1.5 million acre-feetto the U.S. The TCEQ developed a draft definition andpresented it at a March 2009 drought conference to

several Mexican states of the BGC Water Table and, inSeptember 2009, to all the Mexican states of the WaterTable. Mexican states are considering the proposal andthe TCEQ will follow up with Mexican states in 2011at the Border Governors' Conference Meeting in BajaCalifornia. A final draft will be submitted to appropri-ate federal agencies in both countries for approval.

* Develop a Binational Watershed Initiative for theLower Rio Grande. The TCEQ will work with local,state, and federal agencies to collect data and developa framework for a binational watershed initiative toaddress indicator bacteria in the TCEQ's Rio GrandeSegment 2302, the 231-mile-long reach of the RioGrande below Falcon Reservoir. These efforts willinclude discussions with agencies from both the U.S.and Mexico. Multiple meetings have been held alongthe border from El Paso to Brownsville, in addition toimportant meetings in Austin on May 5,2010, and SanAntonio on March 17-18, 2011, to discuss the issueswith stakeholders and policy makers from both nations.

* Environmental Flows for the Rio Grande, RioGrande Estuary, and Lower Laguna Madre. SenateBill 3, 80th Texas Legislature, sets out a new regula-tory approach for ensuring surface water to meetenvironmental-flow needs. The TCEQ is to developbasin-specific recommendations for environmental-flow standards to be used in deciding on new (andamended) water-right applications and to establishan amount of unappropriated water, if available, to be

set aside for the environment. The TCEQ will lead theprocess through the Basin and Bay Area StakeholdersCommittee. The rules for the three basins and baysystem are to be completed by September 1, 2013. Thefirst meeting was held January 25, 2011, in Weslaco.

* Participate in Upper Rio Grande Salinity Manage-ment. Salinity management is under way in southernNew Mexico and west Texas along the Rio Grande; theTCEQ participates as part of a coalition of local waterutilities, irrigation districts, university research orga-nizations, and state and federal agencies. Agency ef-forts include five continuous water quality monitoringstations on the upper Rio Grande and six continuouswater quality monitors on tributaries to the Rio Grandethat affect the salinity in Amistad Reservoir. Severalmeetings were held in 2009 to review deliverables forPhase I. A scope of work for Phase II has been finalizedand work has begun to evaluate six specific areas ofelevated salinity for targeted salinity-control projects.

* Rio Grande Restoration. The TCEQ was invited toparticipate in this initiative of federal and state agen-cies and NGOs from both sides of the border. Multipleoffices of the agency are involved in this project, whichaims to explore using flow-release schedules on theRio Grande to maintain channel capacity, minimizeflooding, and benefit aquatic habitat. In December2009 TCEQ managers participated in a field study ofthe Rio Conchos and its two main reservoirs in thestate of Chihuahua. The group continues to evaluateways to provide additional flows to the Rio Grande

3

for environmental purposes. Several members ofthis group have been nominated to participate inthe stakeholder group for Senate Bill 3 (80th TexasLegislature), Texas Environmental Flows (see above,"Environmental Flows for the Rio Grande").

Air* Continue Binational Air Quality Monitoring in

Ciudad Juirez. The Ciudad Jusrez air quality moni-toring network is integrated into TCEQ's reportingsystem for air quality data (Leading EnvironmentalAnalysis and Data System, or LEADS). After discus-sion in the JAC to expand the JuArez network, giventhe growth of that city's urban footprint and thedesire for additional monitoring, in summer 2010Ciudad JuArez deployed several sampling devices forPM, (particulate matter smaller than 10 microns, orfine dust) to new regions of the city. The expansionof the JuArez network provides critical sampling datafor the southwest and southeast parts of the city.

* Continue West Texas Visibility Monitoring. TheTCEQ currently operates the West Texas VisibilityMonitoring Network, a network of high-resolutiondigital cameras used to help identify and track naturalevents (such as dust storms) in the El Paso region andto track regional haze at Guadalupe and Big Bendnational parks, both identified as federal Class I Areas.The TCEQ and the EPA are sharing the cost of a projectto update and expand the network in fiscal 2011.

* Continue Work on the Joint Advisory Committeefor Air Quality Improvement. The TCEQ servesas U.S. state co-chair and a staff member performsadministrative support for quarterly meetings ofthe JAC. On November 4, 2010, the JAC celebratedits 50th meeting and 15 years of operation. Meetingminutes, agendas, and presentations are maintainedat the JAC website, <www.jac-ccc.org>.

* Deploy an Additional Camera in Big Bend NationalPark. TCEQ Region 6 currently is preparing to de-ploy an additional high-resolution digital camera atthe park to augment the West Texas Visibility Moni-toring Network.

* Develop Emissions Inventory with Ciudad Juirez.In spring 2010 the EPA awarded funds to the TCEQfor special projects for the improvement of air qualityin El Paso del Norte. The Border Affairs staff is work-ing closely with the TCEQ Chief Engineer's Officeand contracting with the University of Texas-Centerfor Energy and Environmental Resources (UT-CEER)to collaborate with officials from Mexico and developan emissions inventory of Ciudad Jurez, Chihuahua.

* Implement the 2011 Ozone Standard. The newfederal ozone standard could have an impact on theEl Paso area, which is part of the multistate and tri-

national Paso del Norte airshed, and Brewster County,site of Big Bend National Park. On January 19, 2010,the EPA (in the Federal Register) proposed strength-ening the primary eight-hour ozone standard to0.060-0.070 parts per million. The EPA also proposed

to establish a separate cumulative, seasonal secondarystandard within a range of 7 to 15 ppm-hours. TheEPA has rescheduled promulgation of the final ozonestandards to no later than July 29, 2011. The TCEQwill continue to work with the local organizations inEl Paso this year to take actions that could bring themonitored values below the new standard before theEPA makes final designations.

* Maintain Good Air Quality in El Paso. El Pasocontinues to maintain ambient air levels below thecurrent National Ambient Air Quality Standardsfor three pollutants-ozone, carbon monoxide, andparticulate matter. However, standards for thesethree pollutants are being reassessed by the EPA in2011. Continued monitoring and best managementpractices by the community are necessary. In the nextfew years, the TCEQ will work with local govern-ments to update the emissions inventory in the Texaspart of the basin. Recently, funds have also beenappropriated to update the emissions inventories inthe New Mexico and Mexico parts of the air basin.

* Purchase and Placement of a New Auto GC AirMonitor in El Paso. Levering funds awardedto the TCEQ from the EPA, the Border Affairsstaff-together with the Chief Engineer's Office andField Operations Support Division-will work topurchase and site a second Auto GC air monitor in ElPaso via a contract with UT-CEER to more broadlycharacterize the specific pollutants that contribute tohigh-ozone days, and their sources.

* Rider 8 Funding for Air Quality Planning. The TexasLegislature appropriated funds through Rider 8 of the2009 appropriations bill to the TCEQ for air qualityplanning to reduce ozone in local areas around thestate, including El Paso. Beginning in fall of 2009,the Air Quality Planning Division began workingwith the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO) to develop and implement a grant worthapproximately $800,000 and associated work planfor this purpose. In fall 2010, the TCEQ and the MPOsigned a contract and began work on the projects.

Waste* Improve the Management of Scrap Tires. Unauthor-

ized disposal of scrap tires is a priority issue on theborder and poses a significant threat to human healthand air quality (in the event of a fire). The TCEQ willwork with federal, state, and local stakeholders inthe border region, both in the U.S. and Mexico, todevelop and implement strategies to track and prop-erly dispose of scrap tires. One such forum in whichTCEQ is an active participant is the U.S.-Mexico TireInitiative Collaborative Effort.

Other* Continue State-to-State Environmental Programs.

Agency personnel, especially in Border Affairs, willwork with counterparts from Mexican state agencieson mutual issues to enhance and protect our shared

4

border environment. The agency is updating theseplans as necessary to accommodate ongoing needs,both of the TCEQ and its counterpart agencies in thefour neighboring Mexican states. On May 4, 2010,Commissioner Buddy Garcia and Secretary FernandoGutierrez of the Nuevo Le6n Ministry of SustainableDevelopment signed the Nuevo Le6n-Texas Memo-randum of Cooperation, 2010-2015. Border Affairspersonnel are in active conversations with the Tamauli-pas Ministry of Urban Development and Environment(SEDUMA) on a Memorandum of Cooperation.

* Continue Coordinated Emergency-Response Mea-sures with the International Boundary and WaterCommission. The TCEQ interacts routinely with theU.S. section of the IBWC to coordinate emergencymanagement response and discuss border safety.The TCEQ has also incorporated the IBWC into thestate's emergency management as a counterpart inpreparing for floods and other natural disasters alongthe Rio Grande. The two agencies will continue tosupport each other and partner on important matters.

* Develop a Proposed Annex VI (Enforcement) tothe La Paz Agreement. The La Paz Agreement forthe protection of the U.S.-Mexico environment doesnot explicitly reference environmental enforcementor compliance assistance. The proposed Annex VIwould include these critical subjects and would bedeveloped with the EPA and its Mexican counterpart,SEMARNAT, as well as other stakeholders.

* Expand the Efforts of the Compliance Assistance,Environmental Stewardship, and CooperativeEnforcement (CAESCE) Task Force in the Border2012 Three-State Regional Work Group. The TCEQRegion 6 (El Paso) small business and local govern-ment assistance compliance specialist currentlyserves as co-leader for the Border 2012 CAESCETaskForce, which examines ways to promote environ-mental compliance and enforcement in the Paso delNorte region, especially with respect to movement ofhazardous waste across the international boundary.

* Expand Environmental Summits. The TCEQ, espe-cially through its Small Business and EnvironmentalAssistance Division, gives logistical and other sup-port to an annual environmental summit in El Paso. OnOctober 1, 2010, about 400 people attended the El Pasosummit, which included elected officials, industry rep-resentatives, and local residents. With the success of theEl Paso summits, held since 2000, the agency workedsuccessfully with legislators and local officials to ex-pand them to the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Laredo.On September 24 and October 14, 2010, respectively, thefirst environmental summits were held in those areas.Border environmental summits are scheduled in2011: October 7 in El Paso, October 20 in Laredo, andOctober 28 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (McAllen).

* Focus on Border Issues at the 2011 EnvironmentalTrade Fair. On May 4, 2011, as part of the TCEQEnvironmental Trade Fair in Austin, Border Affairsorganizes a special track on environmental quality

along the Texas portion of the border with Mexico.Topics include compliance assistance and enforce-ment on the border as compared to the rest of thestate, Mexico's response to flooding in Monterreyafter hurricane Alex, the TCEQ's role in the binationalresponse to flooding of the Rio Grande after hurricaneAlex, and a focus on air quality in Judrez-El Paso.

* Support Local Stakeholders through the Border2012 Program. Border Affairs personnel will supportlocal stakeholders, including NGOs, in El Paso, theDel Rio to Zapata area, and the Lower Rio GrandeValley and assist them in applying for environmental-management grants to meet their needs. The BorderAffairs staff is also working with stakeholders andthe EPA to develop the next-generation program.

* Work with Stakeholders on Cross-Border Emergency-Response Planning. The TCEQ will work with localstakeholders to create regional emergency-responseplans from a binational perspective. Staffers will workwith fire departments and protecci6n civil (local andstate emergency-response agencies in Mexico) to up-date and further develop sister-city contingency plansfor the groups of sister cities along the internationalborder Texas shares with the four Mexican states ofTamaulipas, Nuevo Le6n, Coahuila, and Chihuahua.Improvements to these plans often include "allhazards," not just responses to chemical releases. TheTCEQ serves as lead for regular meetings, knowledgeexchanges, and exercises where emergency officialsfrom both countries respond to an incident in real time.

2009-1 1Accomplishments* Assist in Reintroducing the Silvery Minnow. The

TCEQ has been a member of a stakeholder group,chaired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to reintro-duce the Rio Grande silvery minnow as an experimen-tal, nonessential population in the Rio Grande in theBig Bend area. The minnow had disappeared from theRio Grande below El Paso. The USFWS reintroduced445,000 silvery minnows in the Big Bend reach of theRio Grande on December 16,2008 and another 509,000in October 2009 and plans to reintroduce more min-nows in the future. The TCEQ continues to support thereintroduction of the minnow by providing real-timedata from two continuous water quality monitors in theBig Bend reach of the Rio Grande. Data can be accessedat <www.tceq.state.tx.us/goto /wq-stations>.

* Assist Water Systems with Current or PendingEnforcement Actions. In 2010-11, the Office of Water,through its contract for financial, managerial, andtechnical assistance, consulted with over 20 troubledwater and wastewater systems in the border area. The

on-site assistance varied from consolidation assess-ment to assistance with compliance and rate setting.

* Conduct Energy-Efficiency Workshops. The TCEQcontracted with the Center for Energy and Environ-mental Resources at UT-Austin for an energy-efficiency

5

project for local governments and industry. First, CEERheld workshops in Laredo and Brownsville for localgovernments and school districts (with total attendanceof about 120), and followed up with assessments ofspecific buildings belonging to six of the workshopattendees. Then, during summer 2009, CEER held aworkshop in Brownsville for industry on efficient aircompression and performed assessments at sevenindustrial sites.

* Conduct Oil and Gas Pollution Prevention Work-shops. In April 2009 the TCEQ held a free one-dayworkshop in Hebbronville for oil and gas productionfacilities to demonstrate the benefits of, and incentivesfor, preventing pollution. The workshop offered strat-egies on how to improve efficiency while decreasingor eliminating pollution, such as volatile organiccompound (VOC) emissions, to the atmosphere.

* Conduct Aquatic-Life Monitoring of the UpperPecos River. The aquatic-life use for the Upper PecosRiver is impaired for 24-hour dissolved oxygen perthe 2010 303(d) list. TCEQ surface water qualitymonitoring personnel collected water and biologicalsamples in November 2010 and January 2011 at foursites. The data will be analyzed and will further

characterize the impairment.* Conduct Outdoor-Burning Workshops. The TCEQ

Small Business and Environmental Assistance Divi-sion and regional-office personnel successfully coor-dinated workshops that focused on compliance withthe state's outdoor-burning rules with an emphasis on

developing and adopting local ordinances. The work-shops were held in Harlingen and Edinburg in April2009, El Paso and Alpine in July 2009, and Marfa andagain in El Paso in April 2010. Workshop participantsincluded local government officials, firefighters, andcode-enforcement officers; continuing-education unitswere issued to certified code-enforcement officers.

* Conduct Binational Training for Border Municipali-ties on Wastewater Pretreatment. TCEQ BorderAffairs personnel conducted technical workshopswith municipal officials in Reynosa and Matamorosin late 2008 and in Laredo in January and March 2009.The workshops focused on the technical aspects ofdeveloping a program on fats, oils, and grease throughlocal ordinances. Personnel from the TCEQ's Officeof Water and Border Affairs worked closely with theEPA to conduct workshops on wastewater pretreat-ment in El Paso and McAllen on February 8 and 10,2011, respectively. With water utilities on both sidesof the border as the primary audience, the workshopsfocused on the latest regulatory developments, in-dustrial pretreatment, and programs addressing fats,oils, and grease. The workshops were well-receivedand well-attended with more than 35 systems

from south and far west Texas represented, and acombined total attendance of 140, including over 25operators and management from utilities in Mexico.

* Construct Water Quality Wetlands in the Lower RioGrande Valley. The TCEQ Office of Water worked

closely with the cities of La Feria, San Juan, and SanBenito to design and construct wetlands for managementof storm water runoff-designed to further improve thequality of water in area arroyos. The project in La Feriawas successfully completed in July 2009; the projectsin San Benito and San Juan are under construction.

* Continue Binational Air Quality Monitoring inCiudad Juarez. The TCEQ was instrumental inensuring that data reporting from Ciudad Juirez airmonitors continued after an unexpected change inmonitor management in February 2009 from the Cityof El Paso to the Ciudad Judrez Ecology Department.

* Continue Participation on the Good NeighborEnvironmental Board. The TCEQ representative onthe GNEB the water section for the 13th annual GNEBreport, A Blueprint for Action on the U.S.-Mexico Border.The report was released on June 17, 2010,in Washing-ton and was accepted on behalf of the president byCouncil on Environmental Quality chair Nancy Sutley.

* Continue State-to-State Environmental Programs.In July and August 2009 the TCEQ organized severaltechnical exchanges and training events with itscounterpart agency in Nuevo Le6n. The two agenciesworked together on environmental law enforcementand air quality issues including visible emissionsquantification, monitoring for particulate mattersmaller than 2.5 microns, and calculating emissioninventories of on-road vehicles. Through a contractwith the UT-Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs, theTCEQ is in discussions with counterpart agenciesin Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua on waysto enhance cross-border cooperation and improvethe environment along the border. On May 4,2010,TCEQ Commissioner Garcia signed a new agreementwith Secretary of Sustainable Development FernandoGutierrez of Nuevo Le6n, and on May 27, 2010, Com-missioner Garcia met with Secretary Guti6rrez andGovernor Medina of Nuevo Le6n to discuss actionsthe TCEQ and the Secretariat of Sustainable Develop-ment (SDS) can implement.

* Deploy Continuous Water Quality Monitors in theRio Grande. The Water Quality Planning and FieldOperations Support divisions of the agency maintain anetwork of eight continuous water quality monitoringstations downstream of Falcon Dam. The monitorsmeasure the concentration of total dissolved solids(TDS-salts in this case) in agricultural return flows.These monitors supply data to Texas and Mexico tofacilitate management of TDS concentrations of thelower Rio Grande, allowing for action if levels are soelevated that saline waters could damage agriculturalproduction-a major economic activity in the area.The real-time data are viewable online at <www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/swqmdata>. Extreme and prolongedflooding in the lower Rio Grande in July and August2010 affected the monitoring sites. Six stations havebeen restored and are reporting data.

S Develop Eco-Vida Public-Service Announcementsand Outreach in the Tri-State Area. TCEQ personnel

6

from the El Paso regional office and Border Affairsteam worked with NGOs to conduct monthly stake-holder meetings, host a website, and hold short TVspots that present environmentally friendly optionsfor everyday activities.

* Focus on Border Issues at the TCEQ EnvironmentalTrade Fair. In May 2010 during the annual TCEQEnvironmental Trade Fair, Texas' premier environmental

education forum, Border Affairs personnel conducted atwo day special focus on environmental quality alongthe Texas border with Mexico. Presentations focusedon scrap tire management, water quality of the RioGrande, and compliance assistance and enforcement onthe Texas border. Speakers included Commissioner Ed-ward Drusina of the International Boundary and WaterCommission, United States Section, Secretary Gutierrezof the Nuevo Le6n SDS, and Mario L6pez, Director ofWater Quality for Northern Mexico, Mexico NationalWater Commission (known as CONAGUA in Mexico).

* Identify the Best SmartWay Technologies for Dray-age Trucks. The SmartWay Transport Partnershipis a voluntary collaboration between the U.S. EPAand the freight industry. Through a contract with theTexas Transportation Institute, with support from theEPA, the TCEQ funded a study that characterizedtypical drayage-truck drive cycles, tested SmartWaytechnologies for emission reductions, and performedcost-benefit analyses. Among the SmartWaytechnologies analyzed were fuel additives, ultralighttrailers, and "eco-driving" techniques. The studywas completed in August 2009; the final report withresults and recommendations was presented on April15, 2010 at the 48th annual JAC meeting. On July 1,2010, the JAC passed a joint resolution to encourage"eco-driving" techniques and to train drayage truckdrivers to implement the practice. The report is avail-able online at <tti.tamu.edu/abouttti/international/crossborder/truck emissions.htm>

* Improve the Management of Scrap Tires. On August6,2009, in McAllen, the TCEQ partnered with the SDSof Nuevo Le6n and EPA Region 6 to hold a binationalworkshop on municipal scrap-tire management.Forty-six attended the workshop, including represen-tatives from six Texas cities and counties and sevenMexican cities, scrap-tire program leads from NewMexico and Texas, officials from the Mexican federalenvironmental agency in regional offices as well asMexico City, the acting deputy regional administratorand several other personnel from EPA Region 6,and academics from both sides of the border. Theworkshop examined successful and not-so-successfulmunicipal scrap-tire programs, the high costs of tirefires, and further development of demand-side mar-kets that are absorbing many, but not all, scrap tires.

* Launch a Community Road Show in the El PasoRegion. During spring 2010, the TCEQ El Paso re-gional office put on a traveling open house to addresslocal and rural environmental concerns. Personneltraveled to Alpine, Marfa, Van Horn, Presidio, and

Jeff Davis County to address complaints and explainthe agency's role in the community.

* Organize a Biosolids-Management Workshop.On July 17, 2009, TCEQ Border Affairs conducteda workshop in McAllen that offered case studies ofwhat several cities are doing to generate end-useproducts from biosolid wastes, including wastewatersludge, yard wastes, and food wastes. Personnel fromwastewater utilities and public-works departmentsfrom cities on both sides of the border in the lowerRio Grande Valley, Laredo, and Nuevo Laredo heard akeynote address by one of the world's leading experts(from UT-Austin) on biosolids. More than 45 attended.

* Organize and Participate in Conferences on BorderSecurity. On February 16, 2010, agency personnelworked closely with the Texas Division of EmergencyManagement to organize a workshop on bordersecurity and emergency response. The Border Affairsmanager also presented at a conference on February14, 2011 at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Impacts ofSecurity on U.S.-Mexico Border.

* Participate in the Colonias Workgroup andEconomically Distressed Areas Program Task Force.The agency's Colonias Coordinator represented theTCEQ at regular meetings to implement Senate Bill99 (79th legislative session), regarding tracking ofstate-funded projects that benefit colonias.

* Partner on a Binational Emergency-PreparednessWorkshop and Mock Drill in Rio Grande Valley.On May 26 and 27, 2010, more than 80 stakeholdersrepresenting the three levels of government inthe U.S. and Mexico met for two days at RanchoViejo, Texas, for the third consecutive year to hold a"knowledge exchange" and plan for an upcomingreal-time exercise. TCEQ personnel played a key rolein organizing the event and bringing together localand state representatives from both countries. Duringthe knowledge exchange each authority presented itsavailable resources and discussed how it could sup-port the others. The group also reviewed the GIS riskmap, which shows locations and types of hazardousmaterials. TCEQ personnel continue to give integralassistance on joint emergency exercises, including the"Mega-Drill" held April 1, 2011 at the Veterans' Inter-national Bridge between Brownsville and Matamoros.

* Workshops on Petroleum Storage Tanks for theRegulated Community. In November 2010, inHarlingen and El Paso, the Small Business and LocalGovernment Assistance section of the TCEQ heldfree workshops where all owners and operatorsof petroleum storage tanks and others could learnabout state and federal PST regulations. The speakersexplained the general rules and requirements forPSTs and how to use the TCEQ's latest compliancetool, the Petroleum Storage Tank Super Guide: AComprehensive Guide to Compliance in Texas (avail-able upon request as agency publication RG-475).

* Provide Training in Basic Environmental Criminal-Law Enforcement. The TCEQ's Special Investigations

7

Section, along with the Southern EnvironmentalEnforcement Network, the Texas Parks and WildlifeDepartment Environmental Crimes Unit, and the EPACriminal Investigation Division, led a three-day train-ing on investigation and prosecution of environmen-tal crimes in Laredo in June 2009. The TCEQ invitedand hosted eight federal and state enforcementofficials from Tamaulipas and Nuevo Le6n, Mexico.

* Provide Clean School Bus Grants. The Texas CleanSchool Bus program awards grants to school districtsand charter schools for the purchase and installationof technology to reduce diesel emissions and reduceonboard exposure for schoolchildren and bus drivers.In fiscal 2010 and the first quarter of fiscal 2011,using federal funds, including levering funds fromthe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, theprogram awarded nearly $300,000 to improve the

onboard air quality for 53 school buses in four schooldistricts along the Texas border with Mexico.

0 Response and Coordination during the July 2010Flooding of the Rio Grande. As the liaisons betweenthe IBWC and the Texas Division of EmergencyManagement, TCEQ personnel were instrumental incoordinating efforts to control the flooding, acting asthe eyes and ears of the IBWC by patrolling floodgatelevees saturated by the floodwater and notifying theIBWC of any cracks or boils discovered-along 160miles of the Rio Grande from Falcon Dam down-stream to Brownsville and 270 miles of floodwaylevees in Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties.In addition, specialized teams of TCEQ employeesconducted 75 water and wastewater inspections, threelandfill inspections, and inspected 2,799 irrigation andflood-control features including lateral gates, levees,temporary pump, and others in the affected counties.

For more information:Contact TCEQ Border Affairs at 512-239-3500 or by e-mail <ba@tceq.texas.gov>.

How is our customer service?Fill out our online customer-satisfaction survey at

<www.tceq.texas.gov / goto / customersurvey>.

The TCEQ is an equal opportunity employer. The agency does not allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexualorientation, or veteran status. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this document may be requested in alternate formats by contacting the TCEQ at 512-239-0028, Fax512-239-4488, or 1-800-RELAY-TX (TDD), or by writing P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087.

8