17 hours Ago By Elizabeth Ireland • Times of San Diego
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By clicking sign up, you agree to our terms . The House Republican budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) includes a significant reduction in funding for cross-border sewage infrastructure, according to Rep. Scott Peters ‘s office.
The budget cuts the International Boundary and Water Commission ‘s (IBWC) construction funding from $156 million to $78 million, affecting the operations and maintenance of vital wastewater treatment facilities, including the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) in San Diego. The SBIWTP, which is responsible for treating raw sewage and pollutants flowing from Mexico into San Diego, is currently undergoing major repairs and expansion with $650 million in funding secured through the U.S.
-Mexico-Canada trade agreement and emergency funding bills. While these funds remain unaffected, the budget cuts will impact future construction projects and maintenance at the plant, as well as other IBWC-maintained infrastructure. Peters, a longtime advocate for addressing cross-border pollution, expressed concern over the cuts, highlighting the damage caused by years of underfunding.
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“Deferring those smaller annual upkeep costs meant we needed to spend a lot more money later on to fix all the damage that was done, not to mention the harm to community health, our local economy and our national security,” Peters said in a statement. “I will not vote for legislation that will put us back in this position again or delay the necessary work to fix the problem.” Peters has been active in securing funding for the SBIWTP and other cross-border pollution issues, introducing legislation, advocating for emergency declarations and successfully securing millions in funding to address the crisis.
Last week, Peters introduced legislation to authorize the IBWC to accept funding from federal and non-federal entities for wastewater treatment, flood control projects or other water conservation efforts. Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m.
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