Mexico and the U.S. shook hands Friday on a 10-year agreement to fight pollution along their shared 2,000-mile border, while some enviros contended that without money behind the deal, it won’t make a real dent in the region’s many problems. The intent is to reduce air pollution, protect water supplies, and prevent pesticide contamination in the border area, which is home to almost 12 million people. In the wake of NAFTA, the population along the border has grown markedly, particularly on the Mexican side, where people flock to find jobs at U.S.-owned factories, or maquiladoras, that have become notorious polluters. Government officials say that although the agreement doesn’t include funding, it will serve as a framework to help the two countries decide where to channel money. Connie Garcia of the Environmental Health Coalition in San Diego is dubious: “As far as the fundamental problems facing the region, these binational programs have had very little effect. The people of the border region have really borne the brunt of this industrial development, particularly on the Mexican side.”
