State Senator Steve Padilla has introduced Senate Bill 10, which aims to use toll fees from the upcoming Otay Mesa East Port of Entry to fund environmental restoration efforts in the Tijuana River Valley. The proposal comes in response to the ongoing sewage crisis that has plagued Imperial Beach and surrounding areas for years. According to the International Boundary and Water Commission, approximately 100 billion gallons of untreated sewage have been dumped into the Tijuana River Valley over the past five years. This pollution has had severe impacts on local communities and ecosystems. Imperial Beach Lifeguard Ashley Hedrick described the dire situation, stating, "Today we are forced to bus our kids to cleaner beaches because our water is too dangerous for human contact. There are days the ocean is completely black and the smell is overwhelming. It leaves you nauseous." The proposed bill would allow SANDAG - San Diego Association of Governments - to allocate a portion of the toll revenues generated by the new border crossing to address the sewage crisis. Imperial Beach's mayor suggests that just 1% of toll revenue could generate $25 million annually for environmental restoration projects. MORE: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/cross-border-contamination/new-bill-proposes-using-toll-fees-to-combat-tijuana-river-valley-sewage-crisis/509-f4824998-94cb-4c28-9ea0-3a4daadfae5b