May—June 2021 Newsletter

U.S.-Mexico Border Plans Launched

The U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program: Border 2025 is a model of cooperation and collaboration between neighboring nations. It is expected to build on the tangible, on-the-ground, environmental and public health achievements of previous border plans. EPA and Mexico’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources are working to address the most significant environmental and public health risks for the well-being of border communities.

KYMA Fox 11: EPA Announces New Border Plans
U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Program: Border 2025

New Rapid Beach Water Safety Test

EPA has approved an innovative DNA-based method to evaluate bacteria in beach water. The San Diego County rapid test is the first demonstration of the use of this method for routine beach monitoring in the world. This method was developed by the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project and implemented in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health. The digital test will enable San Diego County beach managers to provide same-day notices of beach water quality.

News Release: New Test Provides Same-Day Results
EPA’s Work on Beaches

Local Foods, Local Places

Farmers market with people buying and selling fresh produce

EPA, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is providing new technical assistance to help 13 communities nationwide develop local food systems. Two of the projects, in Sacramento, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, will serve as a hubs to grow, prepare and sell locally-grown food to residents. Both projects are expected to improve sustainability practices, as well as create new training, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for the most socioeconomically disadvantaged residents.

YubaNet.com: EPA Commits to Helping Sacramento Food Hubs
News Release: Las Vegas Area Food Hub to Lead Downtown and Neighborhood Revitalization
EPA’s Local Foods, Local Places Program

Enforcement Update

Protecting People from Illegal, Unregistered Disinfectants During the Pandemic

EPA, along with our partners at Customs and Border Protection, has denied over 10 million units of illegal pesticides – including, of particular note during a pandemic, fraudulent disinfectants – from entering the United States since the beginning of the pandemic. Most recently, a San Diego, California, firm and its owner pleaded guilty to charges relating to the unlawful importation, sale and mailing of an unregistered pesticide product marketed as a killer of airborne viruses such as COVID-19.

News Release: San Diego Firm and Owner Pleads Guilty to Illegal Importation, Sale and Mailing of Product Marketed as COVID-19 Killer

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EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region serves Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 Tribal Nations.

EJSCREEN

The Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool, EJSCREEN, provides EPA with a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic indicators.