Thread: Mexico wants U.S. to cover flood tab

Mexico wants U.S. to cover flood tab
Complaint seeks repairs or money; damage put at $8M
By Brady McCombs
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.24.2008

advertisementMexico has lodged a formal complaint against the United States for flood damage it claims was caused by a concrete barrier erected by the Border Patrol in a storm-water tunnel beneath Nogales.
The complaint points out how critical the issue is and asks for repairs or money for damage estimated at $8 million, said Carlos Marin, commissioner of the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

Marin, who was in Nogales, Ariz., on Wednesday to assess the situation, said he received the complaint letter Tuesday from the commissioner of the Mexican side of the commission, Arturo Herrera.
"There are issues that happen on the border every day, but I think this is one of the serious ones that will create a diplomatic situation between the U.S. and Mexico," said Marin, who became commissioner in September 2005.

The mayor of Nogales, Sonora, also said the concrete structure, which was 5 feet tall until being reduced to 3 1/2 feet by work crews last weekend, is on Mexican soil.

The Border Patrol put the concrete barrier in in the past year without notifying the commission.

Marin and a delegation from the U.S. side of the commission traveled to Nogales, Ariz., to evaluate whether the structure is in Mexico, what role it played in the flooding and what should be done to remedy the situation.
On Friday, a survey team from the United States, in coordination with a survey team from the Mexican side, will determine exactly where the international line is in the tunnel, Marin said. A painted yellow line that runs diagonally along the floor of the tunnel is the only marking, and that was definitely not put in by either side of the Boundary and Water Commission, he said.

Once they make the determination, they'll mark the international line with something permanent, such as a rail attached to the wall or some kind of paint to avoid having to re-certify the border again, Marin said. He didn't want to speculate if the barrier is in Mexico, but admitted it's close enough to warrant a survey.

Next week, engineers from the U.S. section of the commission will conduct a hydrological analysis to determine to what extent the barrier was blocking the water flow, he said.

Officials with the Mexican section of the commission say technical data shows the barrier reduced the flow of storm water through the tunnel by 40 percent.

But Marin said that might not be accurate.

"There are some structures on the Mexican side; there is a large pipeline in the tunnel just on the south side," Marin said. "So, what if the wall wasn't there and the pipe was there and the same thing happened? We have to analyze that situation. Of course, they want remedy and repairs, but maybe there is dual responsibility there."

The State Department is waiting for the results of the survey and analysis, Marin said.

Marin has informed the Border Patrol of the complaint, but their conversations have been minimal so far, he said.

"I think they want to get their story and facts straight before we start discussing it in serious detail," Marin said.

If Friday's survey of the international line concludes that the concrete barrier is in Mexico, officials there said they will remove it.
If it's in the United States, the commission will make a decision about whether it should be removed based on the results of the water-flow analysis, he said.

The barrier, and two gates behind it, were put in by the Border Patrol to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants and smugglers to cross through the tunnel.

But store owners along Calle Elias and Calle Internacional in Nogales, Sonora — where the brunt of the water pooled up July 12 — aren't as forgiving. Most suffered thousands of dollars in damage that night and continue to lose money each day the Morley Avenue pedestrian gate remains closed.

Stores, restaurants and clubs in the area depend heavily on the people who come and go through the pedestrian port east of the Dennis DeConcini port in downtown Nogales.

"It makes me so mad because they (Border Patrol) didn't ask permission," said Migdelina Camacho, whose family owns El Tiendita, a small general store. "They should help us because we all depend on this store."

El Tiendita lost half of its food and goods, and a car, in the flood, said sisters Migdelina and Guadalupe Camacho, whose mother owns the store. Since the flood, sales have been down by 80 percent.

"They (Border Patrol) don't worry about anything, not the people on the other side, and even less about the people on this side," said Ignacio Delgado, owner of Foto Delgado.

"This is an international wash," said Delgado. "They should consult with both the U.S. and Mexico government. And they should never put up barriers in the wash.

"The person that ordered this to be done can't be from this region," said Delgado, whose store suffered $1,400 in damage. "He must be from Alaska, I'm sure of it."
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/fromcomments/249690.php

HA! As soon as mexico pays us for flooding OUR country with their people!

So how much does the US get from Mexico for the damage their citizens are doing here?

AND THEY NEED TO PAY 1 MILLION IN MEDICAL FOR THE 22 MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL JUST BROUGHT OVER FROM MEXICO WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS

FROM ANOTHER POST IT SAID MEXICO HAD NOT MAINTAINED THEIR SIDE OF RIVER TO PREVENT FLOODING

SO MEXICO YOUR INSURANCE, THE AMERICA, IS NOT GOING TO PAY IF MOST TAXPAYER HAVE THEIR WAY

THAT RIVER AND FLOOD PATTERN IS ALWAYS CHANGING FROM MY UNDERSTANDING

NO NO NO NO TAX DOLLARS FOR THIS FLOODING,

AND WHAT ABOUT WHEN THEIR SEWAGE FLOODS OUR CLEAN BEACHES? AND WE HAVE TO CLOSE THEM DOWN????? MEXICO NEVER PAYS A DIME AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME...3RD WORLD COUNTRY SCUM BAGS!!! WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING????THEY THINK AMERICA IS RICH AND 8MILLION IS NOTHING...HOW ABOUT THEY PAY FOR THEIR 1 MILLION FOR TREATING THEIR SHOT UP POLICE OFFICERS OR MILITARY PEOPLE...WHY ARE WE TREATING THEM??? ESPECIALLY SINCE RAMOS AND COMPEON ARE STILL IN PRISON, WHY DOESN'T THE US GOVERNMENT HELP OUR OWN???

WTF?? The Tijuana River here in San Diego flows north across the border, full of tons of raw sewage and trash. U.S. taxpayers have to pay for all of it. CA had to build a special sewage collection and treatment plant to handle all the waste, something like 50 millions gallons of sewage EVERY DAY. In fact, since the plant opened Mexico has diverted even more waste into the river because they know we have to treat it, to save them form having to deal with it. Who the hell do these people think they are?? They pump their vile waste over to our side of the border and we have to clean it up, and they show no remorse, not even a thanks for treating their sewage. I can't even count the number of times San Diego beaches get closed due to the tons of Mexican sewage that ends up flowing all the way to the ocean, sickening people and harming the wildlife.

They pump their vile waste over to our side of the border and we have to clean it up, and they show no remorse, not even a thanks for treating their sewage. I can't even count the number of times San Diego beaches get closed due to the tons of Mexican sewage that ends up flowing all the way to the ocean, sickening people and harming the wildlife.

When I was in San Diego in 2002 people were telling me about it. Doesn't the river actually go through Mexico and then finally into US territory for the last few miles? And then the ocean currents waft the delightful stuff northward? Still it was US money that paid for the treatment. Build the fence NOW!!

No problemo...I'm sure Bush has already sent the check...PRIORITY MAIL!

Doesn't the river actually go through Mexico and then finally into US territory for the last few miles?

Yup, the river flows north, across the border into the U.S., then flows west right into the ocean. Because of all the sewage, the U.S. was forced by law, to build a treatment plant to contain the waste and prevent it from polluting and damaging the environment and putting people's health at risk.

But the plant cannot fully handle the amount of waste that comes across. It can only treat 25 million gallons per day, and in the rainy season the added runoff often brings to the total amount of sewage contaminated water to 70 million gallons a day.

Does Mexico offer to divert and treat some of THEIR sewage on THEIR side?? Hell no, they just say, "well, as long as it ends up the U.S. side, let them worry about it". Typical, being as Mexico is very good at letting the American taxpayer pay to deal with their refuse, whether it is liquid or human.

Images of the pollution from the Tijuana river flowing into the U.S.:

http://www.goldenstateimages.com/GSI_se ... tion&op=ex