International Border Community
International Border Community Steering Committee
The International Border Community Steering Committee is a community-led effort that partners stakeholders: residents, advocates, local organizations, members of government agencies and local industry, to improve air quality and protect health.
The International Border Community encompasses parts of San Ysidro and Otay Mesa East. It was added to the Community Air Protection Program (CAPP or AB 617) by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in 2022.
Join the International Border Community Steering Committee. If you are an interested International Border Community member, return this form to apcdoutreach@sdapcd.org.
2025 Program Highlights
- School Air Quality Improvements - 7 San Ysidro + 17 Southbay schools applied for AB 617 funding to install high-quality air purifiers.
- Urban Greening - 1,002 trees planted since Jan 2025 in San Ysidro, Otay-Mesa West, and Nestor: 96 at/around schools, 87 in local parks.
- Air Monitoring - 3 hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) monitors were installed in the Tijuana River Valley, alongside new health guidance and a real-time air quality dashboard.
- Air Purifiers Distributed - 10,000 air purifiers and filters distributed through the AIRE program to support families in the Tijuana River Valley affected by H₂S odors.
Steering Committee Meetings
The Community Steering Committee meets the third Wednesday of
every other month from 5-7PM. Meetings are held remotely via Zoom,
except once a quarter when we meet in person.
- 01/21/26 (In-person, San Ysidro)
- 03/18/26 (Virtual via Zoom)
- 05/20/26 (Virtual via Zoom)
- 07/15/25 (Virtual via Zoom)
- 09/16/26 (Virtual via Zoom)
- 11/18/26 (Virtual via Zoom)
Community Priorities
The following list highlights some of the air quality priorities identified by the Community Steering Committee: (Note, it is not an exhaustive list of community-identified air quality priorities.)
- Actions that protect children, elderly, chronically ill, and other groups that are vulnerable to air pollution.
- Idling cars at the ports of entry.
- Traffic circulation near or around Las Americas Premium Outlets, Dairy Mart Rd., Calle Primera, Willow Rd., Camino De La Plaza, East San Ysidro Blvd., and more.
- Idling heavy duty trucks at the port of entry.
- Operations at warehouses, including current and proposed expansions.
- Current and future impacts to people living in new housing developments near freeways and warehouses, especially along California State Route 905.
- Dust and exhaust from Border Patrol ATVs and vehicles operating on the west side of San Ysidro. Emissions from freight trains going through the heart of San Ysidro.
- Pollution from both Brown Field Municipal Airport in Otay Mesa and Aeropuerto Abelardo L. Rodriguez in Tijuana.
- Odor from the Tijuana River caused by untreated sewage flowing from Tijuana.
- Trash and other items being burned in Tijuana.
- Industrial-related emissions coming from Tijuana.
Guiding Documents
A Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) and Community Emissions Reduction Plan (CERP) are created in partnership with residents to ensure solutions reflect local priorities and ensure progress is being made.
The CERP uses data, along with community input, to identify air quality priorities and actions that reduce air pollution and improve public health. Read the International Border Community CERP. En Español.
The CAMP outlines where air quality monitors will be located, what type of air pollution will be monitored, and how air pollution will be measured to better understand local air quality concerns and track progress of community-supported strategies. Read the International Border Community CAMP. En Español.
About the Community
Adjacent to Tijuana Mexico and located on unceded Kumeyaay territory, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa East are unique tri-national communities where culture, art, commerce, and family ties transcend borders. It boasts a rich cultural heritage, with a vibrant Mexican influence that resonates throughout the community. This community is home to a variety of attractions, including the San Ysidro Port of Entry, art galleries, and outdoor activities in such places as the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Due to planning and infrastructure that has favored passenger vehicles and unsustainable commerce activities, this cross-border exchange comes at a cost to the environmental health of the communities on both sides of the border. Border infrastructure designed to prioritize vehicles and commerce has led to severe environmental and public health impacts. The San Ysidro Port of Entry is the busiest land border crossing in the world, processing approximately 70,000 northbound vehicles and 20,000 northbound pedestrians daily. Prolonged idling and heavy traffic flow adjacent to and through residential areas have made San Ysidro one of California’s most pollution-burdened communities. According to CalEnviroScreen, the area ranks in the 100th percentile for traffic-related impacts—higher than anywhere else in the state.
Additionally, the combination of significant transboundary sewage flows and deficient wastewater treatment infrastructure in the United States and Mexico, has created an environmental crisis affecting air, water, and soil quality. The untreated wastewater and sewage flows have created strong odors for South Bay residents that are impacting their quality of life. Community-led strategies focus on protecting health and reducing pollution from vehicles, rail, and from cross border sources such as odor from the Tijuana River and trash burning.
