South Bay community leaders call on President Trump to help fix the Tijuana River Sewage problem
IMPERIAL BEACH (KUSI) – On the eve of President Trump’s visit to our area for a luncheon fundraiser Wednesday, local officials are asking him to get directly involved in the Tijuana sewage crisis.
Over the last 10 days, there have been four separate spills amounting to 160 millions of gallons of sewage and toxics flowing into the Tijuana River. As our local Congressional delegation tries to get something done on the legislative funding front, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, joined by Imperial Beach Council member Paloma Aguirre, Port Commissioner Rafael Castellanos and representatives of the Surfrider Foundation, notes President Trump has his own budget agenda. And yes, the President will be in the San Diego area Wednesday for a luncheon fundraiser.
On the eve of the visit, those gathered in the Tijuana River Valley asked the President to get directly involved in the crisis, which Dedina says is worse than an illegal immigration issue in the San Diego sector. But the President wasn’t at the border Tuesday morning. He’s also been heavily criticized for his alleged lack of attention to the environment. But the plan is this, says Dedina. Anyone at the fundraiser, get this message to the President.
“The message: Mister President we know you care about the border, we know you care about the health of your Border Patrol agents, your Navy SEALS,. We need you to fix the Tijuana River problem so the agents and SEALS and kids aren’t getting sick.”
It’s that simple says Dedina.
We also note that a local delegation, including Mayor Dedina, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jerry Sanders, and County Supervisor Greg Cox, will visit the White House on the issue next week. The meeting with staff was scheduled before the President’s California trip was announced. So everyone involved is hoping this will amount to a full-court press on the crisis.
