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Environment & Water

Arizona Co-Chairs

Tom Buschatzke

Director
Arizona Department of Water Resources

Karen
Karen Peters

Director
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Committee Collaborations

The Environment & Water Committee focuses on water management planning and environmental quality issues facing the Arizona-Sonora region, working on collaborative programs and planning to benefit the quality of life and sustainability in both states.

How to Get Involved

The AMC/CSEU binational committees are always looking for new members, passionate about strengthening the ties between Arizona and Mexico. As a committee member you will be surrounded by subject-area experts and business leaders from Arizona and Mexico, coming together to achieve common goals. Join a committee and help us shape policy, and exchange ideas and information through cross-border communication and collaboration.

If you’re interested in learning more about this committee or how to get involved, click here to send us a note and we’ll get you connected.

Committee Executive Summary

The Environment & Water Committee strengthened Arizona–Sonora environmental collaboration by advancing implementation of the Arizona–Sonora Environmental Strategic Plan (ASESP), improving cross-border water and wastewater management, promoting sustainable watershed planning, and enhancing binational environmental emergency coordination. The Committee continued implementing 32 projects addressing 13 of the 14 ASESP priorities while expanding technical collaboration, environmental monitoring, and environmental emergency public communication to protect shared natural resources and public health.

Action Plans

#1 – Implementation of the Arizona-Sonora Environmental Strategic Plan (ASESP):

  • Project Milestones: Implemented or initiated 32 projects covering 13 of the 14 ASESP priority areas across air, water, waste, and wildlife sectors.
  • Air Quality Partnerships: Secured the long-term operation of the SLRC air monitoring station via a maintenance agreement between ADEQ, CEDES, and Universidad Tecnológica de San Luis Río Colorado.
  • Funding & Grants: Obtained a $30,000 EPA grant for air quality education and awarded $272,590 in FY26 Recycling Grants to expand composting and recycling awareness.
  • Infrastructure & Innovation: Completed Phase I of the Oso Wash Nature-Based Solution Project alongside Santa Cruz County using $20,000 in leverage funding.
  • Education & Outreach: Expanded the PocketLab program, hosted a lithium-ion battery management seminar in Agua Prieta, and built cross-border technical capacity with federal, state, tribal, and nonprofit partners.

#2 – Improve the Operational and Administrative Performance of OOMAPAS Naco: The committee will continue enhancing OOMAPAS Naco’s operational performance and institutional capacity to reduce cross-border sewage, supported by Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) technical assistance, loan of portable equipment, and partner coordination. The plan focuses on immediate failure mitigation alongside long-term infrastructure investment, involving collaboration with EPA, NADBank, and IBWC.

#3: San Pedro River Basin Improvement Strategy: The San Pedro River Basin Improvement Strategy focuses on strengthening binational watershed collaboration and improving groundwater modeling to ensure long-term water sustainability. The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is actively refining the Upper San Pedro groundwater model, facilitating ongoing technical reviews and shared data management between Arizona and Sonora water agencies. Moving forward, the strategy prioritizes continuous technical coordination, the development of long-term watershed management initiatives, and enhanced binational cooperation regarding shared groundwater and surface water resources.

#4 – Develop a Binational Public Notification Plan for Environmental Emergencies along the Arizona–Sonora Border: The Binational Public Notification Framework establishes a standardized system between Arizona and Sonora partners to deliver consistent, timely public alerts during cross-border environmental emergencies. Led by the Environment & Water Committee, the initiative coordinates with emergency management and environmental agencies to design unified communication protocols for critical events like sewage spills, hazardous material releases, wildfires, and poor air quality. Looking ahead, the plan focuses on finalizing the notification templates, defining specific agency roles, and validating the entire communication network through tabletop exercises and stakeholder engagement to ensure widespread adoption across border communities.