Border XXI Program

The Border XXI Program established a five-year bilateral effort to bring together government institutions responsible for the border environment, primarily U.S. EPA and the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries Secretariat (SEMARNAP) and the Social Development Secretariat (SEDESOL) of Mexico. Unlike IBEP, Border XXI brought additional federal partners to achieve its environmental goals, and welcomed the states and U.S. tribes into the workgroups.

To promote sustainable development in the region, protection of human health and the environment, and properly manage shared natural resources, after extensive public participation along the U.S.-Mexico border the Border XXI Program added three working groups -- environmental information, natural resources and environmental health -- to those already established by the La Paz Agreement -- water, air, solid and hazardous waste, pollution prevention, planning and response to emergencies, and environmental law enforcement.