The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), released the Border 2025 mid-term Highlights Report on July 18. This report details accomplishments from 2021 to 2023 within border communities through the Border 2025 program.
“EPA is proud to work closely and productively with the Government of Mexico and State and local leaders to improve public health along the U.S.–Mexico border,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This report highlights the investments of the Biden Administration, and the commitment of State and local governments to improve conditions for the border communities, particularly underserved and disadvantaged communities.”
The Highlights Report outlines projects that address goals set in the Border 2025 framework document. These goals include reducing air pollution, improving water quality, promoting sustainable materials management, waste management, clean sites, and enhancing joint emergency preparedness for hazardous chemicals. The report also emphasizes commitments to environmental equity in the U.S. and engaging indigenous communities in Mexico.
Over 50 projects are featured in this highlights report, addressing various environmental and health issues faced by border communities. Notable projects include air quality improvements in Mexicali, Baja California, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua; water reuse initiatives on Tribal Lands; binational training sessions in Sonora and Arizona; water and wastewater enhancements via Border Environment Infrastructure Funds; capacity-building efforts such as webinars on waste-related issues; training exercises for emergency preparedness; as well as environmental health and justice efforts.
Border 2025 is a binational environmental program aimed at protecting both environment and public health along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. It encompasses ten states—four in the U.S., six in Mexico—27 federally recognized tribes in the U.S., as well as seven indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities in Mexico. The program remains a model of cooperation between neighboring nations with a continued goal of achieving tangible improvements for US-Mexico border communities.
For further information, please visit EPA’s U.S.-Mexico Border Program webpage.
