EPA Issues Report on Ecological Restoration for U.S.-Mexico Border

The Good Neighbor Environmental Board issued its 16^th annual report to President Obama, which examines environmental degradation in the border region and recommends actions the U.S. federal government can take to protect and restore the border environment. Given the severe impacts on natural resources along the U.S. border with Mexico, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) requested that the board focus its report on ecological restoration.

The board is an independent federal advisory committee that develops recommendations to the president on U.S. - Mexico border environment and infrastructure issues. The report, “Ecological Restoration in the U.S. - Mexico Border Region,” was accepted by CEQ on behalf of President Obama.

The report recommends specific federal actions to develop a more comprehensive approach to ecological restoration in the border region. These include:

• Incorporating low-impact infrastructure design and supporting conservation efforts to avoid resource damage;
• Promoting existing federal ecological restoration programs and projects;
• Actively engaging local, state, Tribal and Mexican government partners; and
• Addressing irrigation, wastewater and other flow management issues involving national and binational waters.   

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency manages the board’s activities. Board members include representatives from federal government departments and agencies; state, local and tribal governments in the border region; and community development, academic, health, environmental and other non-governmental organizations.

Source: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency