Today Congressman Henry Cuellar, together with officials from the McAllen, Edinburg, Hidalgo, Mission, Pharr and Weslaco in the U.S. and Reynosa and Rio Bravo in Mexico announced the awarding of an Environmental Protection Agency grant in the amount of $50,000 to the Fire Department.

The City of McAllen Fire Department will use the funds to update its current sister-city plan with Reynosa to include a risk analysis and incorporate the cities mentioned above. In addition to updating their plan, the Fire Department will provide training to area first responders and conduct bi-national exercises to test the updated plan.

“We now live in a post 9-11 time when its imperative that our cities and counties are prepared with a plan in cases of catastrophic disasters,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “With these funds, more cities along the border will be included in the overall plan, together with sister city partners in Mexico.”

The City of McAllen will partner with first responders from the Cities of Edinburg, Hidalgo, Mission, Pharr, and Weslaco on the United States side of the border through inter-local agreements and with first responders from the Cities of Reynosa and Rio Bravo in Mexico.  The goal of the project is to update and expand the scope of the McAllen-Reynosa Sister City Plan by completing four primary objectives: 1) to conduct meetings with key individuals on both sides of the border to discuss the Plan for McAllen-Reynosa; 2) to conduct bi-national exercises to test the updated Plan; 3) to conduct a risk analysis of the sister city area; and 4) to train area fist responders. 

Hidalgo County is one of the fastest growing areas of the United States and the juncture of one of the primary trade corridors between Mexico and the United States.  The Pharr International Bridge is one of the busiest cargo ports of entry from Mexico into the United States, with an average of 110 transports carrying hazardous materials crossing from Mexico into the U.S. every day.  Ninety percent of those transports carry flammable liquids and the other 10% carry hazardous materials and waste.  These trucks must travel on busy streets and highways through cities and heavily populated areas carrying highly flammable, toxic, and potentially lethal hazardous waste products. 

As of April 2005, there were 136 maquila plants operating in Reynosa, Mexico.  According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), “Maquila plants are subject to a complex system of waste-management laws and regulatory systems in the U. S.-Mexico border region.  The waste produced in maquila manufacturing operations must be repatriated to the country where the raw materials originated.  Therefore, wastes produced from U. S. materials must be transported back to the U. S. for treatment and disposal” (source: Border Pollution Prevention and Maquiladoras, 2005).  Hazardous chemicals and waste are also transported south into Mexico through Hidalgo County.

Although there are four municipalities in the county that have hazmat trained personnel, equipment, and response capabilities, there has never been a multi-jurisdictional region-wide hazardous materials response exercise to test the combined resources of all jurisdictions in responding to a large-scale hazardous materials disaster.  These granted funds will now allow this to take place and ensure the success of the Plan if implemented in cases of chemical hazard spills and/or natural disasters.

For more information on the Plan, contact Carla M. Rodriguez, M.A., Grant Administration Director for the City of McAllen at (956) 681-1030.

For more information on federal grants, please contact the Office of Congressman Henry Cuellar at (202) 225-1640.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the House Homeland Security, Small Business, and Agriculture Committees in the 110th Congress; accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip.

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