The doctor who exposed elevated levels of lead in the bloodstream of children in Flint, Michigan, leading to a nationwide crisis that has lasted years, has compared it with the situation going on in southern California.
"It's a very similar story of environmental contamination, an environmental injustice," said Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha in a public health forum in Imperial Beach during the weekend. "My biggest message is to tell the residents that they are not alone," she added.
The statement comes shortly after local researchers said they detected a poisonous substance in the Tijuana River Valley as a result of the high volume of raw sewage flowing from Mexico into the region.
The substances in question are hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide, something that led them to temporarily abandon their work in the area. Dr. Kim Prather, director of the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment at UC San Diego, said she could not continue putting them "at this level of risk."
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre highlighted the presence of the pediatrician, saying she hopes the forum helped residents feel seen and heard. Along with state Sen. Steve Padilla, they discussed ongoing efforts to mitigate the situation and said they hope for an emergency resolution by the Biden administration soon.
"I just sent a letter to President Biden's chief of staff, renewing the call now that we understand the severe and concerning levels of hydrogen sulfide," Aguirre said. The declaration would release funding and offer immediate help to alleviate the situation.
In September, a group of California lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at tackling the issue. The Border Water Quality Restoration and Protection Act is similar to other bills that sought to restore bodies of water like Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes, according to Border Report.
If passed, the bill would designate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the lead agency and coordinate agencies across all levels to address high pollution levels in the Tijuana River. The bill comes weeks after Democratic U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas announced a $400 million contract was awarded to refurbish a plant dedicated to treating wastewater in the area.
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