San Diego County hires D.C. lobbying firm to push federal action on Tijuana River sewage crisis

The County of San Diego has hired a Washington, D.C.-based law firm to lobby federal officials on the Tijuana River sewage crisis, a contract worth up to $637,200 over five years, according to county records.

Best Best & Krieger LLP, known as BBK, was selected through a competitive process in which the county received four bids, according to county spokesperson Tammy Glenn. The contract, signed in January 2026, tasks BBK with advocating before Congress, the White House and federal agencies on behalf of the county to secure funding and action to address cross-border sewage flows that have fouled South Bay beaches and communities for decades.

Ana Schwab, BBK’s partner and director of government affairs, said the firm’s primary goal is ensuring the physical infrastructure necessary to address the crisis gets funded and built.

“Our primary goal in partnering with the County is to help ensure that the physical infrastructure necessary to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis continues to be funded, constructed, and deployed,” Schwab said in an email. “Equally important is ensuring that long-term operations and maintenance are supported so that we do not find ourselves facing similar challenges in the future.”

The Board of Supervisors authorized the procurement on Sept. 9, 2025. The board directed the county’s Department of Purchasing and Contracting to competitively procure the services, which could run through mid-2031 if all contract options ...