Border 2020: Key Closing Accomplishments Report (Spring 2021)
Message from Coordinators
The United States-Mexico border continues to face environmental and public health challenges for the growing population in this area. The Border 2020 Program was the most recent U.S.-Mexico environmental program completed under the 1983 La Paz Agreement, focusing on enhancing conditions for communities 62 miles on either side of the 2000-mile border. The Border 2020 Program collaboration over the past eight years has shaped the search for solutions to the environmental and public health challenges that characterize this dynamic region. Cooperation between the United States and Mexico goes back to 1992, when the formal programs began, showing the importance of collaboration toward achieving results.
Such an alliance has withstood time thanks to the invaluable support of our network formed by the federal governments, state and local partners, as well as the United States federally recognized Tribes along the border and indigenous peoples in Mexico. Through this binational effort, our shared environment and the communities of both sides of the border have benefited from the implementation of projects that address issues such as air quality, water quality, waste water treatment, solid waste management, emergency response and compliance assurance and environmental stewardship.
This report showcases the more representative examples and achievements of the Border 2020 Program in its last cycle of activities, through 35 projects that have been implemented and exemplify the progress of our work to improve the conditions of our shared environment for the benefit of border communities. It highlights the balance in the number of projects on both sides of the border, as well as the continuous improvement in management practices to achieve successful results in compliance with the objectives of the Border Program.
We express our deep appreciation to the dedicated individuals, communities and organizations that supported and participated in the implementation of activities in the border region. We recognize the importance and value of the commitment and contribution of our partners to the success of the Program.
Environmental cooperation between the United States and Mexico in the common border region is undoubtedly a success story and an example for the world, which we will continue to build upon in future collaboration.
Michael Regan María Luisa Albores González
National Coordinator, United States National Coordinator, Mexico