County supervisors to vote on $4.75M plan to address Tijuana River pollution

San Diego County supervisors will vote Wednesday on a $4.75 million funding proposal aimed at studying health impacts and reducing toxic emissions from the ongoing Tijuana River pollution crisis.

The proposal, presented by the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Tijuana River Sewage Crisis, includes funding for epidemiological studies and a temporary infrastructure fix at Saturn Boulevard, identified as a major hotspot for airborne pollutants.

Supervisors Paloma Aguirre and Terra Lawson-Remer announced the plan Thursday at a news conference near the affected area, where raw sewage and industrial waste have flowed for years.

“South Bay residents, myself included, have been living through, actually surviving this crisis for far too long,” Aguirre said. “We aren’t just talking about an eyesore or a passing bad smell. We’re talking about a public health emergency that has disrupted our lives, is hurting our small businesses, and is impacting the well-being of our children.”

The funding, which would be drawn from county reserves, includes $2 million for a long-term health study, contingent on $4 million being raised from other sources such as state and federal partners. An additional $250,000 for a retrospective health study is being called for, along with $2.5 million for infrastructure improvements at Saturn Boulevard.

Although contingent on other funding sources, Aguirre said she is confident federal and state partners will provide the additional $4...