A campaign led by local students to press President Biden and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency over ongoing beach pollution has gained traction with support from Coronado Unified School District trustees and families.
In a presentation during a governing board meeting, students from Coronado High School urged district leaders to take immediate action.
The campaign was prompted by Tijuana sewage that has contaminated Coronado’s shoreline for years, closing beaches and creating a public health hazard. Emergency declarations expected to help expedite federal assistance.
“We’re here to advocate for the school board and the community to stand up against the sewage as it continues to uproot the lives of over 2,800 CUSD students,” said sophomore Sean Wilbur, who co-founded Stop the Sewage Club last summer with classmate Danny Vinegrad. “The CUSD classroom closest to the ocean is only 600 feet away from this toxic sea mist, and it flows into each and every classroom within your district.”
Trustee Whitney Antrim promptly declared her commitment to the cause, offering to draft a letter for fellow trustees to submit to state and federal governments.
Since then, CUSD also has initiated a letter-writing campaign for Coronado students and their families.
In a message to families, Superintendent Karl Mueller wrote:
“We are very proud of our students who advocate fiercely for clean water, especially the Stop the Sewage Club, Emerald Keepers Club and Junior Optimist Club at CHS. Our governing board wholeheartedly applauds and endorses their efforts.”
Coronado community members can still write
A template letter prepared by Antrim and endorsed by board members provides each community resident the opportunity to share personal experiences with Newsom and Biden while asking them to declare a state of emergency.
“This request reflects the collective voice of our community, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated action,” reads the template letter.
The district asks participating community members to return completed templates to a box in the lobby of the District Office by Wednesday, May 15th.
“I’m doing everything I can to publicize and collect these letters. I’m hoping to deliver maybe 500 or more to the Governor’s Office,” said Antrim.
According to Antrim, high school students had the opportunity to sign during homeroom classes, and teachers invited her to visit classrooms to join participating students at Silver Strand Elementary school.
Antrim said she will personally deliver the letters in her trip to Sacramento for a meeting of the California School Boards Association (CSBA) Delegate Assembly on May 17.
School districts address the state and federal government
Vinegrad, with the student group in Coronado, says the letter will “continue to apply pressure on the government to act, and hopefully put us one step closer to a cleaner environment…The campaign will also help to educate families on the issue at hand and gain greater support and involvement from the community.”
Neighboring school districts have led similar efforts including the communities of Imperial Beach and south San Diego.
In February, the South Bay Union School District passed a proclamation that requested Newsom to proclaim a state of emergency in San Diego County and request a federal emergency declaration.
In March and April, the Sweetwater Union High School District, Chula Vista Elementary School District and National School District passed resolutions also calling for action for the Tijuana River pollution and environmental crisis.
Last month, the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission announced that binational officials met on April 19 to review progress on sanitation projects, according to a press release on April 26.
“Meeting participants emphasized the importance of conducting monthly inspections of Tijuana sanitation infrastructure, enhancing communication, and controlling sediment along the border,” read the announcement. “They agreed to meet again on June 18 to review progress on Minute 328 and other priority water and sanitation projects.”
This month, the office of Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) joined Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and eight colleagues in requesting additional funding for the International Boundary and Water Commission’s (IBWC) construction budget for next year.
This month the City of Coronado council also gave their first quarterly update on the activities of the cross-border water subcommittee regarding funding and infrastructure.
“Every one of these people that signed this letter are people that we spoke to on our trip to D.C.,” Coronado Councilmember John Duncan said following the presentation on May 7 and regarding the coalition’s May 1 letter. “I’m extremely excited to see that there’s a big bipartisan push.”
