Environmental Groups Protest EPA Administrator’s Visit to San Diego

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Several Southern California environmental groups staged a protest as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin visited the San Diego area Tuesday morning.

The event called “Hands Off Earth” was organized as a way to denounce the Trump administration’s cutbacks on environmental protections and programs, said Sara Ochoa, programs director with Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation.

The demonstration took place outside the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, where Zeldin held a news conference after touring the Tijuana River Valley and the International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Concerns Over Environmental Protections

“We, as the environmental community, have a lot of concerns,” Ochoa said.

She worries the EPA and the Trump administration are cutting back many programs, including a multi-million-dollar grant to the Environmental Health Coalition in San Diego.

Protester holds sign during demonstration in San Diego as EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s visits the area. (Salvador Rivera/Border Report)

“It was granted $20 million to serve and fulfill 12 community driven projects and eight severely impacted regions of San Diego that have some of the worst air to breathe,” Ochoa said. “This EPA director and the Trump administration are cutting those funds and potentially threatening even the tax-exempt status of some nonprofits.”

Cutting Back on Environmental Programs

Ochoa went on to say the EPA is now the “environmental destruction agency” as it plans to open national parks and protected areas to mining and excavation.

“These resources are worth protecting and we have to have policies for those purposes, but this administration is rolling those back — some of our national parks and our pristine lands like in New Mexico are slated for mineral extraction and instead of being open to the public, they’re going to be turned into mining sites.”

Sara Ochoa is the Programs Director for the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation. (Salvador Rivera/Border Report)

Tijuana River Valley Pollution

Ochoa and others are also concerned that under Zeldin, the EPA will cut back funding for mitigation programs to clean up pollution in the Tijuana River Valley where for decades, millions of gallons of sewage-tainted water has been flowing from Mexico into the United States along with trash, debris and toxic chemicals.

“They’re just going to say it’s a Mexico problem and it has to fix the problem,” Ochoa said.

Transboundary Pollution! Coalition’s Statement

The Transboundary Pollution Coalition for Advocacy and Healing, which is made up of 50 organizations on both sides of the border, issued the following statement about Zeldin’s visit and the need to fix the “crisis” in the Tijuana River Valley:

“We support solutions that will fix, prevent, and heal pollution in communities around the Tijuana River and coastline. The southernmost beach in San Diego County has been closed for over 1,200 consecutive days and just last week, the Tijuana River was officially designated the second most endangered river in the United States in 2025, highlighting the opportunity to come together and act with urgency.

“We need San Diego, California, United States and Mexican authorities to fund and implement immediate, commonsense solutions for a healthy Tijuana River. The Tijuana River pollution crisis is complex and international, now is the time to hold all policymakers accountable for common-sense solutions to fix the sewage, industrial waste, trash, hydrogen sulfide and other toxins in our river, ocean, and air; as well as prevent future impacts from climate change and heal our communities that are suffering the greatest harm.”

Rolling Back Environmental Regulations

The Trump administration has said it is rolling back environmental protections and programs as a way to “power the great American comeback.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, the EPA plans to repeal or weaken 31 environmental regulations, including the principle known as the “endangerment finding,” which affirms that carbon dioxide emissions pose a threat to human health and welfare.

Last month Zeldin called it the “greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the visit of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to San Diego has sparked concerns among environmental groups about the Trump administration’s cutbacks on environmental protections and programs. The cutting back of funds for mitigation programs to clean up pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and the rolling back of environmental regulations are just a few examples of the concerns raised by these groups. It is essential for policymakers to come together and find common-sense solutions to fix the environmental crisis in the Tijuana River Valley and to protect the health and well-being of communities affected by pollution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the purpose of the “Hands Off Earth” event?

A: The “Hands Off Earth” event was organized to denounce the Trump administration’s cutbacks on environmental protections and programs.

Q: What is the Tijuana River Valley pollution crisis?

A: The Tijuana River Valley pollution crisis refers to the decades-long problem of millions of gallons of sewage-tainted water flowing from Mexico into the United States, along with trash, debris, and toxic chemicals.

Q: What is the Transboundary Pollution Coalition for Advocacy and Healing?

A: The Transboundary Pollution Coalition for Advocacy and Healing is a coalition of 50 organizations on both sides of the border that works to find solutions to the pollution crisis in the Tijuana River Valley.

Q: What are the concerns about the EPA’s plans to roll back environmental regulations?

A: The concerns include the potential harm to human health and the environment, as well as the lack of common-sense solutions to fix the environmental crisis in the Tijuana River Valley.