SAN DIEGO — The Tijuana River was named to American Rivers 2024 'Top 10 Most Endangered Rivers' list, announced the Surfrider Foundation and Un Mar De Colores Tuesday morning.
The announcement was made at a news conference at the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center Amphitheater.
"We're hoping this will be a turning point to help elevate this story at the national level," said Sarah Davidson of the Surfrider Foundation.
She said though people in the San Diego region are aware of the problem of cross border sewage and pollution, people across the country aren't as familiar with the issue.
Davidson said she's seen action taken after other rivers have been named to the list.
The two environmental non-profits want people to sign a petition aimed at President Joe Biden and U.S. Congress, calling on the federal government to fully fund the infrastructure its going to take to fix the problem.
According to Davidson, the federal government has committed in recent years to spending $400 million, but another $600 million is needed. She said operation and maintenance costs drive the bill up even more.
Tuesday's announcement comes as Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre is in Washington D.C. She's part of the annual San Diego Chamber of Commerce trip to D.C. to try and make sure San Diego gets its fair share of federal funding.
Mayor Aguirre told CBS 8 Monday she met with the Centers for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection Agency and discussed the cross border sewage issue. She said she is scheduled to meet with President Biden's staff Tuesday.
Watch Related: Rain causes flooding, increased sewage in Tijuana River Valley (Feb 6, 2024)