[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 181 (Monday, September 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57983-57985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23981]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9466-2]
Notice of the Availability of the Draft Framework for the U.S.-
Mexico Environmental Program: Border 2020
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Mexico's Secretariat
of Environment and Natural Resources, SEMARNAT) is announcing the
availability of the draft document, ``Border 2020: U.S.-Mexico
Environmental Program''. Border 2020 is an eight-year, bi-national,
results-oriented, environmental program for the U.S.-Mexico border
region, which has been developed by the EPA and SEMARNAT, the 26 U.S.
border Tribes, the indigenous communities of Mexico and the
environmental agencies from each of the ten U.S.-Mexico border states.
The proposed Border 2020 Program is the latest multi-year, bi-
national planning effort to be implemented under the La Paz Agreement
and succeeds Border 2012, a ten-year program that will end in 2012. The
mission of Border 2020 is ``to protect public health and the
environment in the U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent with the
principles of sustainable development''. EPA is requesting comments
from interested parties and border stakeholders on the draft Border
2020 Framework.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted no later than November 30,
2011.
ADDRESSES: Written comments can be submitted by mail or fax to EPA
Office of International and Tribal Affairs (OITA) or either of EPA's
Border Offices (see section VI-C). Comments can also be submitted on
EPA's U.S.-Mexico Border Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/border2012. In
addition, EPA will be accepting comments at public meetings to be held
throughout the border region during September and October 2011. The
draft framework, ``Border 2020: U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program'', is
posted in English and Spanish on EPA's Border Web page at: http://www.epa.gov/border2012. In addition, English/Spanish copies of the
draft document can be requested by contacting the EPA Office of
International and Tribal Affairs, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: 202-564-5736.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura E. Gomez Rodriguez at 202-564-
5736.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
For decades, the U.S. and Mexico have collaborated on efforts to
protect the environment and health of border communities. One of the
first bi-national efforts was the Border XXI Program, which was
initiated in 1996 with a five-year plan for addressing the most
challenging environmental and environmentally-related health problems
in the region. The formal foundation for these bi-national efforts is
the La Paz Agreement (http://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/2002/efpaz.htm)
signed by Presidents De la Madrid and Reagan in 1983. The agreement is
implemented through multi-year bi-national programs such as Border XXI,
Border 2012 and now the new Border 2020 program. Although most of the
Border XXI projects were implemented at the local level, its
organizational structure emphasized border-wide coordination and
planning. Nine border-wide workgroups--each focused on a particular
environmental
[[Page 57984]]
program, such as air quality or hazardous waste management--coordinated
the efforts of various Federal, state, Tribal and local governmental
activities in the border area. The existing Border 2012 Program builds
upon the successes achieved under Border XXI while also establishing a
regionally-focused border plan to facilitate environmental priority
setting and planning at the regional and local levels.
Border 2012 is a 10-year, bi-national, results-oriented,
environmental program for the U.S.-Mexico border region, which was
developed by the EPA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Secretar[iacute]a de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Mexico's
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources), Secretar[iacute]a de
Salud (Mexico's Secretariat of Health), the 26 U.S. border Tribes, and
the environmental agencies from each of the ten U.S.-Mexico border
states. The Border 2012 Program is a multi-year, bi-national planning
effort to be implemented under the La Paz Agreement and succeeds Border
XXI, a five-year program that ended in 2000. The mission of Border 2012
is ``to protect public health and the environment in the U.S.-Mexico
border region, consistent with the principles of sustainable
development''. Border 2020 will continue to operate under the existing
Border 2012 bottom-up approach, which incorporates local decision
making within priority setting and project implementation process.
Border 2020 will also continue to emphasize concrete measurable
results, public participation, transparency and access to environmental
information.
New features of the Border 2020 Program are the following: (1)
Integration of fundamental principles to be used as we approach and
consider complex and critical challenges faced by border communities
along the U.S.-Mexico Border ; (2) a focus on improving environmental
health through chemical safety; and (3) the use of Action plans that
will establish priority and near-term targets that pay attention to the
particular needs of a community or geographic area and adapt to
unanticipated resource constraints.
II. Coordinating Bodies
Border 2020 will continue to be organized around coordinating
bodies. These coordinating bodies include the following: The National
Coordinators, six Policy For a, and four Regional (geographically-
focused) Workgroups.
A. National Coordinators
Consistent with the requirements of the La Paz Agreement, the
National Coordinators will monitor and manage implementation of the
Border 2020 Program and ensure cooperation and communication among all
coordinating bodies.
B. Policy Fora
Policy Fora concentrate on issues that are border-wide and multi-
regional (identified as a priority by two or more regional workgroups),
primarily Federal in nature (requiring direct, high-level, and
sustained leadership by Federal program partners in the United States
and Mexico) and that might require broad policy considerations. Each of
the six Policy Fora will have a Federal co-chair from the United States
and Mexico, respectively.
C. Regional Workgroups
Regional Workgroups are multi-media and geographically-focused, and
emphasize regional public health and environmental issues. They
coordinate activities at the regional level and support the efforts of
local Task Forces. Each Regional Workgroup will have one state and one
Federal co-chair from each country. Four bi-national workgroups have
been established in the following regions:
California-Baja California;
Arizona-Sonora;
New Mexico-Texas-Chihuahua;
Texas-Coahuila-Nuevo Le[oacute]n-Tamaulipas.
The Policy Fora and the Regional Workgroups will be broad-based and
will include representation from local communities from both sides of
the border, including non-governmental or community-based
organizations; academic institutions; local, state, and Tribal
representatives; and bi-national organizations (such as the Border
Environmental Cooperation Commission or the North American Development
Bank) with expertise in the given workgroup's subject area.
Except for the National Coordinators, the coordinating bodies may
create Task Forces to address specific community-identified concerns
and implement site-specific projects. Task Forces will be led by a
``team leader'' from each country and may be from any sector of
government (including Tribal governments), the private sector,
academia, or from non-governmental organizations.
III. Goals and Objectives
Border 2020 establishes the following six environmental goals for
the U.S.-Mexico border region:
Goal 1: Reduce Conventional Air Pollutant and GHG Emissions.
Goal 2: Improve Water Quality and Water Infrastructure
Sustainability and Reduce Exposure to Contaminated Water.
Goal 3: Materials Management and Clean Sites.
Goal 4: Improve Environmental and Public Health through
Chemical Safety.
Goal 5: Enhance Joint Preparedness for Environmental Response.
Goal 6: Improve Environmental Management through Compliance
and Enforcement, Pollution Prevention, and Promotion of Responsible
Environmental Management.
IV. Reporting Results
The coordinating bodies will prepare Highlight reports that
describe the accomplishments and successes under the Border 2020
program every three years (2015, 2018). In addition, a comprehensive
mid-term (2016) and final progress report (2020) that describe progress
on meeting the goals and objectives of the program, including
environmental indicators will be made available accordingly. Indicator
reports which will measure progress being made toward Border 2020 goals
and objectives will be developed during the third and seventh year of
the program.
V. Fundamental Principles
As a companion to the six strategic goals (and associated
objectives), which outline the anticipated results we hope to achieve
in the next eight years, the following five Fundamental Principles
provide the expectation for how we will approach and consider complex
and critical challenges faced by border communities along the U.S.-
Mexico Border. The fundamental principles will complement and inform
the work that we do to achieve the mission and goals of the Border 2020
program. They are identified as follows:
Climate Change;
Disadvantaged and Underserved Communities;
Children's Health;
Environmental Education;
Strengthening State, Tribal and International Partnerships.
VI. Public Input and Participation During the Comment Period
EPA and SEMARNAT are seeking input from border stakeholders and
other interested parties about the
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proposed Border 2020 program. We invite public comments related to all
aspects of the proposed Border 2020 plan, and, in particular, we are
interested in comments related to: How well will the six long-term
strategic goals address the serious environmental and environmentally-
related public health challenges in the border region. The draft Border
2020 framework document is available online for viewing at http://www.epa.gov/border 2012. A number of opportunities for the public to
comment on the draft document are provided as follows:
A. EPA U.S.-Mexico Border Web Site
Individuals can submit comments directly by filling out the public
comment form at: http://www.epa.gov/border2012 .
B. Public Meetings
A number of public meetings will be held in September and October
2011. For meeting locations and times, please check the EPA U.S.-Mexico
Border Web site or contact the EPA Office of International and Tribal
Affairs. Public comment will be accepted at these meetings.
C. Interested parties can also mail or fax comments to the EPA
OITA, Region 9 or Region 6 Border Offices or SEMARNAT at the addresses
and/or fax numbers listed below.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of International and
Tribal Affairs (MC-2650R), Laura E. Gomez Rodriguez, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. Fax: (202) 565-2411.
Region 9--San Diego. Tomas Torres, EPA San Diego Border Office, 610
West Ash St., Suite 905, San Diego, CA 92101. Fax: (619) 235-4771.
Region 6--El Paso. Carlos Rincon, EPA El Paso Border Office, 4050 Rio
Bravo, Ste. 100, El Paso, TX 79902. Fax: (915) 544-6026.
Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT),
Boulevard Adolfo Ruiz Cort[iacute]nez No. 4209 1er. piso Ala A, Fracc.
Jardines en la Monta[ntilde]a, Delegaci[oacute]n Tlalpan, M[eacute]xico
D.F., C.P. 14210.
D. Interested parties can also e-mail comments to EPA at
[email protected] or SEMARNAT at
[email protected].
VII. EPA's Relationship With U.S. Border Tribes in Border 2020
EPA will continue to honor its unique trust relationship with U.S.
Indian Tribes and enforce its ``Policy for the Administration of
Environmental Program on Indian Reservations'' within the Border 2020
U.S.-Mexico program. EPA recognizes that U.S. Tribal governments are
sovereign and are the primary parties for setting standards, making
environmental policy decisions, and managing environmental programs on
Indian reservations.
Within the Border 2020 Program, EPA will comply with Executive
Order 13175 or 13563, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments'' and work with Tribes when formulating and implementing
policies or taking other actions that have a substantial direct effect
on any Indian Tribe.
Dated: September 12, 2011.
Jane Nishida,
Director Office of Regional and Bilateral Affairs, Office of
International and Tribal Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-23981 Filed 9-16-11; 8:45 am]
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