![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
What is Border 2012
What is Border 2012? Quick Finder |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Goals
By examining the various environmental issues in the border region six goals were identified to meet these serious environmental and public health challenges. Ten Guiding Principles were developed to direct the program to achieve the six goals, ensure consistency among all aspects of the program, and continue successful elements of previous border programs.
- By 2005, promote the assessment of water system conditions in 10 percent of the existing water systems in the border cities to identify opportunities for improvement in overall water system efficiencies.
- By 2006, implement a monitoring system for evaluating coastal water quality at the international border beaches. By the end of 2006, establish a 2012 objective toward meeting coastal water quality standards of both countries.
- By 2012, promote a 25 percent increase in the number of homes connected to potable water supply and wastewater collection and treatment systems.
- By 2012, assess significant shared and transboundary surface waters and achieve a majority of water quality standards currently being exceeded in those waters.
- By 2012 or sooner, reduce air emissions as much as possible toward attainment of respective national ambient air quality standards, and reduce exposure in the border region by completing the following short-term objectives:
- By 2003, define baseline and alternative scenarios for emissions reductions along the border, and their impacts on air quality and human exposure.
- By 2004, based on results from the baseline emissions reductions study (see above), define specific emission reductions strategies and air quality and exposure objectives to be achieved by 2012.
- By 2004, identify needs and develop an action plan to improve institutional and infrastructure capacity for waste management and pollution prevention as they pertain to hazardous and solid waste and toxic substances along the U.S. Mexico border.
- By 2004, evaluate the hazardous waste tracking systems in the United States and Mexico. During the year 2006, develop and consolidate the link between both tracking systems.
- By 2004, develop a binational policy of clean-up and restoration resulting in the productive use of abandoned sites contaminated with hazardous waste or materials, along the length of the border, in accordance with the laws of each country.
- By 2010, clean up three of the largest sites that contain abandoned waste tires in the U.S.-Mexico border region, based on policies and programs developed in partnership with local governments.
- To build capacity in the border region
- By 2004 the program shall extend current efforts in binational environmental health training for 100 health care providers each for pesticides and water.
- By 2006, establish a "distance-learning", post-graduate degree program to support advanced training on environmental health in conjunction with Pan American Health Organization (outside EPA link to pan American health org. home page) regional offices and academic institutions.
- By 2006, evaluate various measures of respiratory health in children that might be tracked to assess changes that may result from actions to improve air quality in border communities.
- By 2006, evaluate various measures of gastrointestinal illness that might be tracked to assess changes that may result from actions to improve water quality in border communities.
- To address pesticide exposure and contamination:
- By 2006, an assessment and pilot program will be completed that explores the feasibility of harmonizing a binational system for reporting acute pesticide poisonings.
- By 2007, reduce pesticide exposure by training 36,000 farm workers on pesticide risks and safe handling, including ways to minimize exposure for families and children.
- By 2004, a chemical emergency advisory/notification mechanism between Mexico and the United States will be clearly established as well as the identification of existing chemical risks on both sides of the border.
- By 2008, joint contingency plans for all 14 pairs of sister cities will be in place and operating (including exercises), with the establishment of binational committees for chemical emergency prevention (or similar border forums).
- By 2012, 50 percent of sister city joint contingency plans will be supplemented with preparedness and prevention related efforts, such as risk and consequence analysis, risk reduction, and counter-terrorism.
- By 2006, increase by 50 percent the number of industries along the U.S. - Mexico border implementing voluntary compliance and/or self-audits (such as the development of an Environmental Management System [EMS] or participation in voluntary assessment programs), using 2003 as a baseline year.
- By 2006, determine the pollution sources in the border area that present high risks to human health and the environment that are subject to regulation and set priorities for actions to lower the risk.
- By 2012, increase compliance in the priority areas determined in Objective 2 by assessing and responding to citizen complaints, compliance assistance, compliance incentives, compliance monitoring, and enforcement to reduce the risks from non-compliant facilities and encourage voluntary pollution prevention.
To achieve these goals, Border 2012 uses a variety of tools. The following is a list of tools the program uses, however the list is not all-inclusive. Furthermore, much of the current Border 2012 program derived from public input.