WASHINGTON D.C., DC — A binational delegation of San Diego leaders visited Washington, D.C. Monday, advocating for issues important to the region, particularly the cross-border sewage crisis.
The group included 172 delegates from both sides of the border, including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego Chamber of Commerce CEO Jerry Sanders, county leaders, and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre.
"Recently, there have been a number of dolphins stranded that have died on the San Diego coast due to sepsis," said Mayor Aguirre during a news conference that was broadcast from Washington D.C.
She said the illness the dolphins suffered from was linked to sewage emanating from the Tijuana River.
"Our local health clinic has seen an uptick in illnesses related to this pollution, that is why we are calling for a State of Emergency to our President Biden," she said.
The 3-day trip is part of an annual event led by the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. It's a chance for the delegates to meet face to face with key people in Washington, D.C., to ensure San Diego gets its fair share of federal funding.
"This in-person opportunity is unequal, there is nothing better than a face to face opportunity to explain precisely how federal policies are playing out in the San Diego Tijuana area, particularly the Tijuana River Valley," said Mayor Gloria.
WATCH RELATED: Tijuana River sewage is causing a range of health issues, doctors say (March 28, 2024)