United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Act

Summary

United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Act - Establishes the United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Fund to be used by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate and respond to conditions which present a threat to the land, air, or water resources of the United States-Mexico border region. Authorizes the Administrator, whenever conditions exist which present a substantial threat to the land, air, or water resources in such region, to declare an environmental emergency. Permits the Governors of the States of Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas to petition for the declaration of an environmental emergency in such region. Authorizes the Administrator to establish a system for information sharing and for early warning to the United States and affected States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes of environmental problems affecting the United States-Mexico border region. Requires the Administrator to establish a United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Advisory Committee to: (1) monitor and study environmental conditions within the border region; and (2) make recommendations for ongoing environmental protection in such region. Directs the Secretary of State, acting through the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, to conclude agreements with the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Mexico for: (1) the correction of international pollution problems in international streams crossing the boundary between the United States and Mexico; and (2) a joint response through the construction of works, repair of existing infrastructure, and other measures to correct water pollution emergencies in such streams. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, to correct water pollution emergencies in such streams in the United States. Permits the Secretary to enter into agreements with Mexico to: (1) establish a binational advisory committee to monitor and study environmental conditions within the border region and make recommendations for ongoing environmental protection in such region; and (2) establish a system for information sharing and for early warning between the two nations of environmental problems affecting such region. Prohibits the expenditure of U.S. funds for emergency investigation or remediation in Mexico without a cost-sharing agreement unless the Secretary can demonstrate that the expenditure of such funds would be cost-effective and in the U.S. interest. Establishes the United States International Boundary and Water Commission Fund to carry out this Act. Authorizes appropriations.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

4 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 19 November 1991

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 26 February 1991

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.