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This is the 3rd and last episode about the Tijuana River. The Tijuana River is a story of trade, immigration and international borders. This is a river that flows across the US Mexico border and carries pollution and sewage. Our guest is Dr Maria-Elana Giner; she served as commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission and upon request of President Trump, she resigned from this position in April of 2025. In this 3rd episode we look for solutions to this epic challenge for the US and Mexico. CO-HOSTRamon ChairezUn Mar de Colores GUESTSDr Maria-Elana GinerIBWC Wastewater Treatment PlantLetter or Resignation, Dr GinerNew IBWC CommissionerNews on Dr Giner resigning as Commissioner RESOURCESTijuana RiverTijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve Tijuana, MexicoSan Diego / Tijuana Metro AreaNavy Seals impacted by Tijuana River PREVIOUS EPISODES ON TIJUANA RIVERPart 1, Tijuana River, Binational FlowPart 2, Tijuana River, Source of the PollutionSPONSORSAmerican Rivers@americanriversFacebookKaris Family FoundationThe Buddy Boy@buddyboyusa THE RIVER RADIUSWebsiteRunoff signup (episode newsletter)InstagramFacebookApple PodcastSpotifyLink Tree
In an in-depth interview for The Border Chronicle, Maria-Elena Giner reflects on her tenure since being ousted last week by the Trump administration as commissioner for one of the most critical federal agencies on the U.S.-Mexico border. The full conversation has been edited for length and clarity.The International Boundary and Water Commission is a binational agency responsible for managing and enforcing treaties between the U.S. and Mexico that manage water sharing, infrastructure, pollution and other transboundary issues.Last week, Maria-Elena Giner, the U.S. Commissioner for the IBWC abruptly posted a letter of resignation addressed to President Donald Trump. Giner told The Washington Post that the Trump administration had demanded her resignation that same day without reason.Giner's sudden departure came as a shock for many. In 2021, Giner was appointed to a severely underfunded agency with no long-term plan for investing in and maintaining vital infrastructure. In a few short years, Giner gained impressive momentum forging agreements with Mexico for water releases in Texas, and working on the creation of a binational wastewater treatment plant in California.ShareThe first Latina to be appointed as U.S. commissioner, and a fronteriza from Ciudad Juárez/El Paso, Giner relied on deep cross-border community building to broker these binational agreements. Many of her major projects were coming to fruition when she was ousted by the current administration.In this interview, Giner discusses the numerous infrastructure needs on the border. She also touches on binational water politics, and how the lower Rio Grande river basin, which was just designated as endangered, might be saved.Listen to more podcasts at theborderchronicle.com
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The Smart 7 is an award winning daily podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week…With over 16 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day and we've won Gold at the Signal International Podcast awardsIf you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following:https://x.com/i/status/1848859038278422843 https://x.com/i/status/1849049769718538287 https://x.com/i/status/1848985504718491692https://x.com/i/status/1849009978989809897 https://x.com/i/status/1849050747142357171 https://x.com/i/status/1849026563242660073 https://x.com/i/status/1849203775669522898https://youtu.be/_5CTg5asoC0 https://x.com/i/status/1849073520661209586Contact us over @TheSmart7pod or visit www.thesmart7.comVoiced by Jamie East, using AI, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Lucie Lewis and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jim Zay, Chairman of the DuPage Water Commission, joins Lisa Dent to explain why they decided to purchase the former Green Acres Golf Club in Northbrook and what that purchase means for the future of DuPage County’s water supply agreement with the Chicago Department of Water Management. Follow The Lisa Dent Show on Twitter:Follow @LisaDentSpeaksFollow […]
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Listen as Dr.Maria Elena Giner, Commissioner of the US International Boundary and Water Commission, and Rosemary Coates, Executive Director of the Reshoring Institute, discuss the importance of water at the U.S./Mexico border.
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Oral Arguments for the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Paragould Light & Water Commission v. FERC
MERCEDES, Texas - Dire is how the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission is describing the water situation along the Texas Mexico border.Periods of droughts plus a debt Texas' neighbor south of the Rio Grande has concerning water is creating a crisis that is set to intensify if a solution is not resolved soon.More than 300,000 people living along the border from El Paso to Brownsville are already feeling the impact and things could get worse as summer approaches.Maria-Elena Giner, the US commissioner for the IBWC, described the situation as dire in light of Mexico's water debt with Texas which today stands at some 750,000 acre-feet of water.“The lack of rain is a reason,” Giner said, during a citizens forum held Tuesday, April 2, at the IBWC Field Office in Mercedes, “but the delivery (issue) has made it more difficult.”A 1944 treaty between the two countries set a framework for sharing water from the Colorado and Rio Grande rivers.Under it, Mexico was guaranteed an annual quantity of 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River and committed the country to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet to the U.S. every five years.Under the current five-year cycle, however, Mexico, has a shortfall of nearly a three quarter of a million acre-feet.And to take care of this matter, Mexico needs to sign a document called a Minute stating it will fulfil its water obligation.The issue has been so profound that elected representatives from Texas to Washington, D.C. have been pressing the Mexican government to abide by its contract.They include U.S. Reps. Vicente Gonzalez, Monica de la Cruz, and Henry Cuellar, and even U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.According to an unconfirmed report, Blinken's Mexican counterpart, Alicia Barcena, has said they will sign the Minute but there has been no new development on this matter.Giner said the water levels at both Amistad and Falcon dams are also dire, adding the chances for Mexico to have wild water, or water spilling over a reservoir, are nil today.In the meantime, farmers and people living along the Texas border will keep facing hard days ahead if the water issue is not revolved soon.Some municipalities are already implementing Phase 2 in their water plans which call for restricted usage.Farmers and growers are not getting enough water to irrigate their fields, which they usually buy through the many water districts found throughout the Rio Grande Valley.The crisis reportedly led to the closing of Texas' only sugarcane mill in Santa Rosa, leaving hundreds of people without jobs and causing millions of dollars to the economy in losses.Keith Patridge, president and CEO of McAllen Economic Development Corporation, said the water issue has to be addressed regardless of what Mexico is doing.“We need to start looking at other alternative sources of water,” he said. “I understand salt water is one but it's more costly that brackish water.”The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service also caught up with Commissioner Giner at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an expansion project at Brownsville's Veterans International Bridge. Giner said Mexico is likely praying for a hurricane. "The volume is so large at this point, they are 750,000 acre feet behind. At this rate, it's gonna be close to a million if we don't get serious deliveries," Giner said. Here is an audio recording of the interview.To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.
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SANTA ROSA, Texas - Although Rio Grande Valley sugar growers are upset that a 1944 US-Mexico water sharing treaty has been adhered to, they do not blame the head of the US section IBWC.IBWC stands for the International Boundary and Water Commission. It is a binational entity that, among other things, governs the distribution of water along the Rio Grande.“I would like to point out that the IBWC Commissioner, Dr. Maria Elena Giner has been the most communicative, the most supportive and the biggest advocate that South Texas has ever had in my history with them,” said Tudor Uhlhorn, chairman of the board of directors for Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers, Inc., a co-operative comprising more than 90 sugarcane growing farms.“At the IBWC she (Giner) has been fantastic in fighting for water for us. But she can only do what she can do without the proper support for the State Department. Their (the IBWC's) ultimate bosses are the United States State Department. So without pressure from them (the State Department) on Mexico, she's pretty limited. But she's been great.”Ron Whitlock Reports secured an in-depth interview with Uhlhorn soon after RGVSGA decided to close its sugar harvesting, grinding and milling operation at the end of the season. As a result hundreds of jobs will be lost and the Valley economy will take a $100 million hit. Uhlhorn said the decision to close the mill in Santa Rosa was a lack of reliable irrigation water. If Mexico had releasing water from the Conchos River Basin to the Rio Grande, as per the terms of 1944 treaty, Uhlhorn said, the sugar industry in the Valley could have been saved.Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full story.Editor's Note: Here is the in-depth interview Tudor Uhlhorn gave Ron Whitlock Reports.To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.
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Clark County is accepting applications to fill three open positions on the Clean Water Commission. Terms begin January 2024 and end December 2026. https://shorturl.at/djwT2 #ClarkCountyWa #SeekingApplicants #CleanWaterCommission #ResidentsOfClarkCounty #InterestOrExperience #WaterQuality #DataAndProgramAnalysis #EducationAndOutreach #EnvironmentalAdvocacy #VancouverWa #ClarkCountyNews #ClarkCountyToday
The State Water Commission heard updates on public efforts to detect and remove PFAS (PEA-foss) from drinking water systems this week; There's no evidence the E-G-5 Covid variant spreads more easily or causes more dire illness. That's according to the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts; The Hanover County School Board amended its library policy this week.
WESLACO, Texas - Maria-Elena Giner, head of the U.S. section of the International Boundary & Water Commission, recently visited the Rio Grande Valley for a federal-state stakeholders meeting. Held at Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center Auditorium in Weslaco, the meeting was attended by farmers, ranchers, irrigators and rural community leaders.Giner spoke for about 16 minutes. Most of her speech focused on Mexico's water debt to the United States under a 1944 international treaty. However, she also spoke briefly about ongoing efforts to repair Amistad Dam.Under the 1944 water treaty, Mexico is obliged to send 1.75 million acre feet of water to the U.S. in a five year cycle. So, it should be averaging 350,000 acre feet per year. Giner said this is not currently happening. “When I was here last year, it was really scary. There was only about 45 days of water left for some communities. We were down here and our reservoirs were reaching their lowest point. We were lucky in August. It rained and we got a bump up in our delivery. But, we're still way below some of the driest years we've had,” Giner said.“It puts a lot of pressure on this region and we realize that.”Here are Giner's remarks in full from the Weslaco meeting.Editor's Note: To read the full story go to the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.
WESLACO, Texas - On the eve of a visit to the Rio Grande Valley by the leadership of the U.S. side of the International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has announced increased funding for the agency. The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) is a federal government agency and the U.S. component of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), which applies the boundary and water treaties of the United States and Mexico and settles differences that may arise in their application. The USIBWC is headed by Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner. Giner is slated to visit the Valley on Wednesday July 19.“One of the things that I did even as our Republican colleagues we're cutting everywhere - I think they're going to cut about $131 billion - I was able to get an increase of over $36 million to the International Boundary and Water Commission. That's almost a 25 percent increase,” Cuellar said, in a webinar with news reporters.“The reason this is important is… the International Boundary and Water Commission will be able to - and I put some language (in the appropriations bill) specifically (for this) - there'll be able to improve the predictability and reliability of water delivery fees for the border.”Giner is slated to give the opening remarks at what is being dubbed a “Federal-State Stakeholder Meeting.” It takes place at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center's main building auditorium in Weslaco on July 19. The meeting is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. and finish at 5:00 p.m. Other agencies to be featured at the stakeholder meeting are the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Texas Water Development Board.The address of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center is 2415 E. Highway 83, Weslaco, TX 78596.For more information about the stakeholder meeting call Esther Cortez, public affairs assistant for USIBWC at 915-317-5915. Or, email her at: esther.cortez@ibwc.gov.Here are Rep. Cuellar's remarks about the IBWC during the webinar.To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.
This episode is presented by Old Grouch's Military Surplus -- A former Apex Town Council member and current member of the Wake County Soil and Water Commission is suing the North Carolina Speaker of the House, Tim Moore, for carrying on an extramarital affair with his wife for almost four years. Get exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omny.fm/listener for privacy information.
A handful of surfers were out catching waves at Imperial Beach, California, the first US beach town north of Mexico, when the lifeguard station blasted a panic-inducing announcement.“The water is currently contaminated, and we are under a 72-hour rain advisory. Lifeguards strongly recommend exiting the water,” the warning said. Pollution and trash carried from the Tijuana River to the Pacific Ocean have long plagued swimmers and surfers on both sides of the US-Mexico border. But in recent years, particularly at Imperial Beach, it's gotten worse. Some locals and experts are hopeful about its cleanup after a recent court settlement. Surfers in the water at Imperial Beach, California Credit: Fabian Garcia/The World Toni Cunia, who strolled along the pier, said she has seen the issues firsthand. “I used to live on the corner over here, so I know how bad it has gotten, and it's breaking everybody's heart. Because this was our playground,” Cunia said.She gestured down the beach to where the Tijuana River flows into the Pacific. “So much junk comes with it. It's not just the water. It's so much trash. So, yeah, it's a problem, a major problem,” Cunia said.And not just for swimmers: the paths along the estuary where the Tijuana River flows into the Pacific are a no-go-zone now, Cunia said. It all starts with the Tijuana River, which collects rainwater from the surrounding watershed and flows only when it rains, explained Paloma Aguirre, who is the mayor of Imperial Beach and holds a master's in marine biodiversity and conservation from UC San Diego. The river discharges south of Imperial Beach, but it goes through the entire city of Tijuana before releasing into the ocean, Aguirre said. Along the way, it collects tires, trash, and worst of all, sewage. As a result, Aguirre said, she has been unable to surf there since last September — which was what drew her to the area in the first place. Mayor of Imperial Beach, California, Paloma Aguirre Credit: Marco Werman/The World “A lot of us moved to IB because of its waves. It's one of the core reasons I chose to live [here] in 2003,” she said. The pollution is so bad that she's actually gotten sick, "not by ignoring the signs, but by getting the impact of the plume that you don't even know is coming sometimes,” Aguirre said.A plume is a concentration of contaminated water that is prone to being dragged north by the current.On the US side, the attitude has long been: “Tijuana, just clean up your act.”But Margarita Diaz, who lives and works in Tijuana as executive director for the Environmental Education Border Project, said she thinks that criticism is unfair and ignores some fundamental differences between how things operate in the US and Mexico.Tijuana is “a city with two countries, different economies, different politics and different realities,” Diaz said, adding that its economy “[doesn't] have a lot of money invested for the infrastructure.”Tijuana has long faced criticisms from the US that little has been done and nothing has changed. But Diaz said that Tijuana has barely kept up, given its rapid growth.“The population in Tijuana, in 30 years, has increased by millions,” she said. According to Diaz, the city has built some infrastructure, and the situation is the same.“I don't want to say that it's OK. It's bad. It has to be clean. I'm not saying that I'm happy with what Mexico is doing. No, we have to do more,” Diaz said.The pollution impacts Tijuana's residents, too. Diaz said the Tijuana city government, just over this past spring break, realized it had to protect its citizens and visitors and shut down its beaches.The state of the beaches, she said, “is one of the most severe and egregious environmental injustices in the nation.” Aguirre said she sees the pollution as a result of free-trade agreements that have led to the rapid development of Tijuana. “This is a negative externality from the original NAFTA trade agreement,” she said. “We knew that we were going to see these environmental impacts associated with the free trade that was signed 20, 25 years ago.”Some hope things may turn around with a recent legal decision.The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) and its Mexican counterpart are tasked with settling water disputes between the two countries. In a recent lawsuit by the Port of San Diego and two California border cities, the agency was instructed to do more to stop wastewater from flowing north from Tijuana. Credit: Marco Werman/The World According to the reports and Aguirre, the IBWC is committed now to more rigorously monitoring and mitigating the pollution in the water on the US side and better coordinating cleanup with their counterparts in Mexico.Aguirre said that at least both sides are starting to listen to one another.“Communication between both agencies is crucial but not easy,” she said. “Because you have the most basic barrier, which is language. So, it's kind of like they're being compelled to do it. In the past, there wasn't that much will to do it.”Diaz said she also is cautiously confident that attitudes are changing in Tijuana and US towns like Imperial Beach.“I hope that the governments share information and also the NGOs can help and we can move the things to a better place,” she said.
First, a conversation about the impacts of the weekend weather on the county and the effect of all this rain and snow on drought conditions in the state. Then, sewage spills originating in Tijuana have forced the closure of beaches in Imperial beach and south toward the border for most of this winter. What will a recent settlement between the federal International Boundary and Water Commission and the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the San Diego Port Authority do to prevent sewage from reaching the Pacific Ocean in the future? Next, a San Diego nonprofit that helps support young people who've aged out of the foster care system is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Then, the state is requiring residents and businesses to reduce the amount of organic waste sent to the landfill. We have more details on San Diego's new organics recycling program. And, a story about how raising the height of the Shasta Dam in Northern California would impact the sacred land of the Indigenous Winnemem Wintu people. Finally, a profile of San Diego artist, Andrea Overturf who has a career as a symphony musician and also creates multi-media sculptures from items from the swap meet that many would dismiss as junk.
Get the latest agriculture news in today's AgNet News Hour, hosted by Danielle Leal. Today's show covers Amazon having to pay California DPR nearly $5 million, updates to the Walnut Marketing Order, and details on the Water Commission's final 2022 State Water Project briefing. Tune in to the show for these news stories, interviews, features and more.
The county manager is seeking to fill three open positions on the Clean Water Commission, an advisory group representing the community's needs and interests in stormwater management decisions. https://bit.ly/3M5AdD4 #CountyManager #SeekingApplications #CleanWaterCommission #UnincorporatedAreas #StormwaterManagement #ClarkCountyCouncil #WatershedHealth #VancouverWa #ClarkCountyWa #ClarkCountyNews #ClarkCountyToday
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Clark County is seeking applicants to fill one open position on the Clean Water Commission. https://loom.ly/uwfKNjU #ClarkCountyWa #ClarkCountyCouncil #CleanWaterCommission #SeekingApplicants #Opening #AdvisoryGroup #Services #Policies #Financing #FederalAndStateRequirements #WaterQuality #StormwaterManagement #VancouverWa #ClarkCountyNews #ClarkCountyToday