PRESIDENT ZEDILLO PRESENTS BORDER XXI

WHAT'S AHEAD IN 1997

NEW STEP I FORMS RECEIVED

BECC General Manager Roger Frauenfelder and Deputy General Manager Luis Raúl Domínguez joined Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, high-level EPA Officials, IBWC Commissioners Arturo Herrera and John Bernal, and NADBank CEO Alfredo Phillips on December 19^th, in Nogales, Sonora, to present the U.S.-Mexico Border XXI Program Framework Document.

The Border XXI Program is an innovative binational effort which brings together the diverse U.S. and Mexican federal entities responsible for the border environment to work cooperatively through protection of human health and the environment and proper management of natural resources in both countries.

The Border XXI Program, a product of public input, defines five-year objectives for the border environment and describes mechanisms for fulfilling those objectives. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Mexico's Secretary for Ecology, Natural Resources, and the Environment the "central challenge facing Border XXI participants is translating long-term objectives into tangible environmental improvements."

In his presentation to meeting participants, President Zedillo recognized the "dynamic growth of the border which has produced, on one hand, a positive social and economic transformation, while on the other hand, has surpassed our institutional capacity to resolve to multiple backlogs in our infrastructure and services…Because the environmental problems are shared by both countries, the solutions require complementary actions and, in this sense, the cooperation with the United States has been, and will continue to be, imperative. This is what the Border XXI Program is about."

More than eighty people attended the presentation of the Border XXI Program, a new milestone for the environment of the U.S. and Mexico.

For more information, contact: Pam Teel, with the U.S. EPA at (202) 260-4896; or Abraham Nehmad, with SEMARNAP, at (525) 628-0650.

Project Development Assistance Program

The BECC is in the process of preparing a User's Manual for the Project Development Assistance Program and should have a draft document available for public review on the BECC Home Page: http://cocef.interjuarez.com, by the end of January/beginning of February.

Contact: Hector Gonzalez, Program Manager for Strategic Planning, tel: (011-52-16)29-23-95; e-mail:hgonzalez@cocef.interjuarez.

The BECC is seeking a Technical Assistance Program Manager to supervise and manage consultants engaged in facility planning and design of water, wastewater, solid waste projects located on either side of U.S.-Mexico border.

The position will involve program management, regulatory reporting, contract administration, and working with U.S. EPA. Minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree in planning, engineering, business administration, or related field and 8 years experience in planning or project management or equivalent combination of training and experience. Knowledge of border needs and state/federal environmental regulations. Bilingual English/Spanish.

Send resumes to: Luis Ayala, P.O. Box 221648, El Paso, Texas 79913.

To assist with the implementation of the PDAP program, the BECC solicited Statements of Qualifications from interested U.S. and Mexico firms with experience in any one of the following categories in the areas of water, wastewater or municipal solid waste: technical expertise, environmental assessments, community participation, institutional strengthening and financial expertise. BECC received 184 submittals, from 65 Mexican and 119 U.S. firms. The Statements are presently being evaluated by BECC staff. Qualifying firms will be notified of their selection in early 1997 and will become part of a pre-qualified list of consultants available to provide assistance to communities on a competitive, project-by project basis.

Contact: Angeles Villarreal, Project Evaluation Coordinator (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: avillarreal@cocef.interjuarez.com.

BECC staff plan to meet with representatives of each U.S. border state to solicit input on the proposed PDAP program in early 1997. Efforts to consult with the Mexican border states is being coordinated on a national level.

Contact: Hector Gonzalez, Program Manager for Strategic Planning, Tel: (011-52-16) 29- 23-95; e-mail:hgonzalez@cocef.interjuarez.com.

During the first semester of 1997, the BECC plans to team up with Mexico's Secretary of Social Development (SEDESOL) to develop courses related to municipal solid waste management on the border. Three courses will be offered to the Mayors and solid waste managers of border municipalities in the regions of 1) Baja California 2) Chihuahua and Coahuila, and 3) Tamaulipas. A program for the state of Sonora is being considered for the latter part of the year.

Contact: Adolfo Urias, Program Manager for Engineering, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: aurias@cocef.interjuarez.com.

BECC staff is working diligently to identify funding sources for the certified EPISO Self-Help project, to help 250 colonia families in El Paso County install on-site septic systems. Because EPISO needs grant funding to support the project, BECC has initiated communication with various private companies as well as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to identify funding pools for the innovative project. Look for an announcement on the status of funding for this project in the new year!

Contact: Angeles Villarreal, Project Evaluation Coordinator (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: avillarreal@cocef.interjuarez.com.

The BECC is working with the Mexican government to construct a permanent headquarters in Cd. Juarez. The Mexican government had agreed during the NAFTA negotiations to build an office building for the BECC, which would eliminate BECC's current budgetary expenditure for rent. BECC hopes that construction on the new building will be completed by the end of 1997.

Contact: Luis Ayala, Administrative Director, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail:layala@cocef.interjuarez.com.

As agreed by the U.S. and Mexican governments, BECC's budget for 1997 is $3.4 million. The budget does not include the $10 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support BECC's Technical Assistance Program.

The revised Project Certification Criteria document will be sent to the printers over the holidays. Copies will be available in mid-January. Copies will be sent to those who provided comments on the document over the last six months. Additionally, copies will be available at the next public meeting on February 11^th, in El Paso, Texas. Copies are always available by request.

Contact: April Lander, Program Manager for Environment, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: alander@cocef.interjuarez.com

Although no projects will be considered for certification by the Board of Directors during the February Board meeting, you should look for the following projects to be active in the early part of 1997:

• Parallel Wastewater Conveyance System Project and Improvements to the San Antonio de los Buenos Plant, Tijuana, Baja California
• Rehabilitation of the Wastewater Collection System, Matamoros, Tamaulipas
• Ecoparque, Tijuana, Baja California
• Oil Recycling, Servicios Ambientales Ford, Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua

Please note that the above-list of projects is by no means definitive. Any projects considered by the Board will have proper forty-five day notice.

Contact: Dr. Jorge Aguirre, Technical Director, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: jaguirre@cocef.interjuarez.com

As a reminder, the next public meeting of the BECC Board of Directors is scheduled for Tuesday, February 11^th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, at the Camino Real Hotel, located at 101 S. El Paso St., in downtown El Paso, Texas. The meeting will include a presentation of the Project Development Assistance Program (PDAP), Policy for Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) projects, and Procedures Regarding Complaints. There will be ample opportunity for public comments on these topics. Furthermore, time will be allotted for general public comments. We hope to see you at the meeting.

Contact: Tracy Williams, Public Outreach Coordinator, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: twilliams@cocef.interjuarez.com

In accordance with Article I of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission's (BECC) Procedures Regarding Public Notice and Comment on Project Applications, the BECC has received a Step I Form for the following projects during the months of November and December. Please note that this listing does not represent any type of BECC staff recommendation concerning the potential for project certification.

Integral Management of Solid Waste, Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The project includes the integral management, collection and final disposal of municipal solid waste in a sanitary landfill. Est. Total Cost: $ 4.2 million. Contact: Mayor Ramon Antonio Sampayo Ortiz, Sexto entre Gonzalez y Morelos H. Matamoros Tamaulipas 87300. Tel: (011-52-88) 12-06-50; Fax: (011-52-88) 12-08-59. Rec'd: 11/30/96.

Tire Pyrolysis and Recycling Plant, San Diego, California. Construction and operation of a pyrolysis plant to convert scrap tires into carbon black plasticizer oil, fuel and scrap steel. Est. Total Cost: $7.9 million. Contact: Mr. Ramiro Rivas, Executive Director, Argari Environmental Corp. 517 Emerson Ave, San Ysidro, California 92231. Tel: (619) 357-2529. Rec'd: 11/30/96.

South Bay Ocean Outfall, San Diego, California. The proposed outfall will convey treated effluent from the new International Treatment Plant and future City of San Diego Plants to the ocean for final disposal, with an average flow capacity of 174 MGD. Est. Total Cost: $174 million. Contact: Ann Sasaki, Senior Civil Engineer, City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department, 600 B. Street, Suite 500 San Diego, California 92101. Tel: (619) 533-4211; Fax: (619) 533-4267. Rec'd: 12/4/96.

Dairy Mart Road and Bridge Improvements, San Diego, California. The project will provide reliable, all-weather access across the Tijuana River to the South Bay Water Reclamation Plant of San Diego and to the new international wastewater treatment plant. Est. Total Cost: $17.5 million. Contact: Ann Sasaki, Senior Civil Engineer, City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department, 600 B. Street, Suite 500 San Diego, California 92101. Tel: (619) 533-4211; Fax: (619) 533-4267. Rec'd: 12/4/96.

South Bay Water Reclamation Plant, San Diego, California. The project will produce 7 MGD of reclaimed water to relieve the South Metro Interceptor and for reuse as irrigation water. Est. Total Cost: $100 million. Contact: Ann Sasaki, Senior Civil Engineer, City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department, 600 B. Street, Suite 500 San Diego, California 92101. Tel: (619) 533-4211; Fax: (619) 533-4267. Rec'd: 12/4/96.

South Bay Reclamation Trunk Sewer and Pump Station, San Diego, California. These works will divert "reclaimable" quality wastewater from the San Ysidro Trunk Sewer and convey it south to the city of San Diego's proposed South Bay Water Reclamation Plant. Est. Total Cost: $22.8 million. Contact: Ann Sasaki, Senior Civil Engineer, City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department, 600 B. Street, Suite 500 San Diego, California 92101. Tel: (619) 533-4211; Fax: (619) 533-4267. Rec'd: 12/4/96.

South Metro Interceptor and Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation, San Diego, California. The project consists of the rehabilitation of the South Metro Interceptor, beginning in Imperial Beach and terminating at Metro Pump Station # 2 adjacent to the International Airport. The interceptor length is approx. 17 miles, 42 - 108 inches diameter. Est. Total Cost: $42 million. Contact: Ann Sasaki, Senior Civil Engineer, City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department, 600 B. Street, Suite 500 San Diego, California 92101. Tel: (619) 533-4211; Fax: (619) 533-4267. Rec'd: 12/4/96.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrading, City of Wilcox, Arizona. The project will upgrade the wastewater treatment plant for discharge and reuse according to the standards of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Est. Total Cost: To be determined. Contact: Larry D. Rains, City Manager, City of Wilcox, 151 West Maley, Wilcox, Arizona 85643. Tel: (520) 384-4271. Fax: (520) 384-2587. Rec'd: 12/7/96.

Pueblo Nuevo Wastewater Collection System, Eagle Pass, Texas. Construction of a Wastewater Collection System for 290 households. Est. Total Cost: To be determined. Contact: Norma Garza, President, Pueblo Nuevo Corporation. RT 1 Box 1119 Eagle Pass, Texas 78852. Tel: (210) 773-1322. Fax: (210) 773-0325. Rec'd: 12/7/96.

Wastewater Treatment Plant, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Design, construction and set up of a Wastewater Treatment Plant for the city of Nuevo Casas Grandes. The object is to treat municipal wastewater for the population of 70,000 people whose discharge presently flows into the Laguna Santa Maria located 20 km from the border. Est. Total Cost: $6 million. Contact: Mayor Eduardo Murillo Trevizo, City of Nuevo Casas Grandes, Ave. Constitución y Calle 2 de Abril, Col. Centro, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Tel: 409-75; Fax: 451-50. Rec'd: 12/10/96.

For more information on these project contact: Edgardo Tovilla, Technical Coordinator, tel: (011-52-16) 29-23-95; e-mail: etovilla@cocef.interjuarez.com

The BECC has many public faces: members of the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Managers, and some staff. But there are other members of the BECC family who contribute greatly to the success of the organization…behind the scenes. You may not see them on the BECCNET, they may not attend public meetings, but their work its critically important to the institution. This month the BECCNEWS pays tribute to Ramon Peña and Albert Fernandez, without whom this newsletter could not be possible!!

Ramon Peña has been with the BECC since its inception, purchasing computer equipment, setting up an internal network, and getting the organization technically equipped to do its job. Ramon has a Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering. Before coming to the BECC he worked for the Comision Nacional de Agua in a similar capacity. Albert Fernandez has been with the BECC since July 1996. He is working on an Accounting Degree from the University of Texas El Paso. Before coming to the BECC he worked for TSS-IBM in El Paso, Texas.

Together Ramon and Albert make up BECC's Information Systems Division and take care of internal computer networking, provide computer training opportunities for BECC staff, oversee all audio and visual requirements of the organization, assist with presentations and brochures, and perhaps most importantly, manage the BECC's Home Page.

In fact, Ramon and Albert created BECC's Home Page, which includes more than 100 pages of materials. They are currently working to add a Search Function to the Home Page to make it easier for users to retrieve documents related to BECC activities and projects.

So, the BECCNEWS sends out a big thanks to Ramon and Albert, for all of your indispensable behind the scenes contributions!