Frontera NorteSur, July 1999

Border Region Looks To U.S. For Clean Air Funds

The mayors of El Paso, Las Cruces and Cd. Juárez met publicly for the first time ever and discussed collaborating in efforts to raise up to $200 million to help clean the air in the border region. The city leaders will apply for grants and look for corporate sponsorship.

Mayor Carlos Ramírez of El Paso, Mayor Rubén Smith of Las Cruces, and Mayor Gustavo Elizondo of Cd. Juárez met on June 14 in Cd. Juárez and agreed that even if all three cities combined resources towards improving the region, they would still come up short. The leaders will seek an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant of $200 million as well as push private industries such as Asarco, railroad companies and truckers for funding.

The EPA won an $800 million lawsuit against heavy engine manufacturers that were using a computer chip that made it possible to fake EPA emissions tests. The settlement will go into air projects across the nation. The border city leaders would use this money towards altering engines on 2,000 trucks that run on diesel fuel and travel over the border daily.

The air in the region regularly measures below clean air standards, and the Paso del Norte Clean Cities Coalition, the collaborative effort of the three cities, is already making headway toward acquiring the funds to improve this problem.

Additionally, both El Paso and Cd. Juárez need roads to be paved as the blowing dust makes up a large part of the pollution particles. Nearly 60 percent of roads in Cd. Juárez are not paved.

Community Fears The Outbreak Of Infection

La Colonia 16 de Septiembre is suffering dramatic pollution problems, and the increasing waste has many residents worried. This area of the city is not growing as planned due in part to the lack of public services.

The neighborhood is regularly plagued with standing water because it is lacking a drainage system that would allow the water to flow. The problem is worse when it rains. Hundreds of children play in the area that the water accumulates which is a potentially a major source of infection.

Many children and adults have already become sick and the residents have asked for government assistance for both solving the standing water problem as well as beginning health campaigns toward the prevention of illness. Homes are situated in proximity to the large standing puddles.

"This water has been here too long and the children cut themselves because there is so much broken glass and trash," commented one neighbor who also complained of the intolerable odors. Many residents are worried about mosquitoes and other insects, and already bothered by the consistent noise of the frogs.

The residents believe that the government health services should at least provide them with vaccinations. According to José Araiza, of El Norte, "For the government this dirty area west of the city is one big headache."

Sources: El Diario, El Norte