In many ways, attention is currency. The more eyes on an issue, the more agencies involved, the closer we are to invoking real change.
Attention has been a crucial ingredient in advocacy efforts to help find a solution for the Tijuana sewage crisis. And while there’s still plenty of work to do, we’re now at a point where a timeline has been outlined and funding has been earmarked. National attention has been amassed.
So one more effort to bring awareness to the issue could only be a positive step forward, right?
San Diego County leaders recently decided to fund a study that would propel efforts to designate the Tijuana River Valley as a Superfund site – a title that would force the parties responsible for the contamination to perform cleanups or reimburse the government for EPA-led cleanup work.
While the area surrounding the Tijuana River Valley is in desperate need of a solution (residents in South Bay are living in an unacceptable public health crisis!), there’s a factor we still need to consider:
Superfund designation could bring the wrong set of eyes to the area.
The land surrounding the Tijuana River Valley would be earmarked as a Superfund site – a label that could continue for years, even decades, and has the potential to bring in harsh economic consequences.
The tag “Superfund” would be placed on every single real estate disclosure form within the boundary. And while a county report from January notes that there is limited data available on the impacts to local property owners, it also quotes an EPA report from 2000 that says that homeowners can expect property values to decrease between 2% and 8%.
The EPA may also require land-use restrictions on private or public properties within the Superfund boundary. The restrictions could be carried out through deed restrictions, zoning, permits, or environmental covenants.
On top of that, the timeline for Superfund designation is extensive. It can take decades for a site to be placed on the National Priority List to become eligible for cleanup. And once it is, there is no guarantee on a timespan or funding amount. The replenishment of the Superfund is contingent on an excise tax on chemical products, which is scheduled to sunset in 2031. Funding is also contingent on available state resources.
From start to finish, it’s a considerable amount of time to be subjecting an area to reduced property values and land-use restrictions. Not to mention, the added stigma that Superfund designation brings to an area, which could hurt the tourism industry and local businesses.
And for what, a final result that does not guarantee a specific amount of funding?
Imperial Beach would be the most affected area. But who’s to say the Superfund boundary wouldn’t extend to Coronado?
The intention behind pushing for Superfund designation is good, but before fighting to put the Tijuana River Valley on the National Priority List, we cannot ignore the potential pitfalls – because communities surrounding the valley may very well find themselves in an economic crisis.
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