Arizona and Sonora are joining forces to tackle environmental issues that don't stop at the border. In a move that signals a binational commitment, Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona and Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo signed a Memorandum of Understanding to put into action the 2023-2027 Arizona-Sonora Environmental Strategic Plan. The plan, which focuses on air, water, waste, and wildlife concerns, looks beyond political lines to address the environmental challenges of the shared 362-mile border region.
The signing took place in Hermosillo, Sonora, indicating a willingness of both states to step up on matters that affect the well-being of their shared ecosystem. This new plan builds on a prior 2017-2021 initiative which saw the investment of $1.15 million of federal funds in 19 environmental projects along the border. Among the key elements of the ASESP, is a facilitated collaboration between federal and binational agencies to seek out sustainable solutions, as reported by AZPM News.
Community engagement and education programs around 14 identified priorities are among the plan's strategies. "We think it’ll provide more opportunity for people that are living on the border to be more involved in protecting and enhancing the environment and where they live,” Amanda Stone, deputy director at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), told AZPM News. The ASESP also prioritizes resource allocation for critical environmental issues, including air and water quality, and waste and wildlife management.
In a bid to analyze and tackle air quality concerns, the plan includes a comprehensive inventory of border emissions, a component Stone says has been overdue in this border megaregion. This analysis could lead to action plans targeting specific issues, like the periodic emissions from solid waste burning in Naco. In a statement obtained by AZPM News, Stone explains, "With all of the growth in the area we feel it’s important to have a contemporary and complete understanding of where emissions are being generated and what pollutants are being emitted."
Water quality efforts will particularly focus on the industrial hub of Nogales, Sonora, where the improvements aim to better industrial wastewater treatment and prevent contamination from heavy metals. Meanwhile, strategies such as enhancing infrastructure to minimize flood impacts and waste pollution are being deployed to manage stormwater runoff. The ASESP also touches upon wildlife protection, continuing the collaborative efforts between Arizona’s Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and its Sonoran counterparts to maintain shared natural habitats and species conservation.
The introduction of an environmental justice tool to focus resources towards communities most in need of communication and decision-making involvement signals ADEQ's commitment to equitable solutions. Collaboration with other departments, including Arizona's Department of Health Services and the Environmental Protection Agency, is fundamental to the execution of this extensive binational environmental plan. This latest scheduled MOU signing also marks a return to regular dialogue, with the first Arizona-Mexico Commission meeting since 2019 taking place, reinvigorating the shared commitment to addressing pressing environmental concerns.
