BORDER ENVIRONMENT COOPERATION 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 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 = 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 sewer service 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

Thank You Renata Manning-Gbogbo Senior Policy Advisor