By Wayne Nastri and Howard Berman, Dutko Worldwide
The regional offices of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are tasked with implementing this nation’s environmental policy through operations and enforcement. USEPA’s mission remains straight-forward; protect human health and the environment. It’s a tremendous challenge that faces many hurdles including insufficient resources to address all the tasks at hand. These challenges are particularly acute along the US-Mexico border. The Southwest’s desert arid climate compounds drinking water and wastewater issues. Raw sewage flowing into the United States is especially problematic during wet weather. Many older vehicles, often those that can’t meet California emission standards, are sold into Mexico, compounding air quality challenges along the border. Unscrupulous individuals illegally dispose of hazardous waste along the border and often times there are either insufficient or no programs in place to adequately deal with wastes that are accumulated in the border region. Compounding these issues are the thousands of people entering the US throughout the border region, leaving behind tons of solid waste, including bicycles, clothes, and water bottles.
Continue Reading An Update on The U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 Program