Environment
San Diego County selects first pollution-crisis chief
Former U.S. diplomat Bridget Premont will coordinate San Diego County's response to the Tijuana River sewage crisis in a newly created role based in the County Counsel's Office.
County officials planned to introduce Premont Monday, City News Service reported. Her responsibilities include aligning local, state and federal infrastructure planning, pursuing public funding, coordinating emergency response when sewage flows surge and leading an interdepartmental task force.
New role: Pollution crisis chief
Focus: Tijuana River Valley sewage and cross-border infrastructure
Public accountability: A funding dashboard, community meetings and bilingual information campaigns
Cross-border experience
Premont served as political and economic chief at the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana from 2017 through 2021 and was acting consul general during part of that period. The county said her work helped secure more than $340 million in U.S. and Mexican federal funding for cross-border water-pollution projects.
A county-commissioned study estimated that the sewage crisis is costing the region as much as $503.5 million each year, underscoring the new position's focus on coordination and funding.
Original reporting: Read the City News Service report at Times of San Diego →