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