The Border XXI Framework Document of 1996 recognizes that active participation of border states and tribes is central to the implementation of the Border XXI Program.

Under Article 9 of the La Paz Agreement, the Border XXI National Coordinators will implement this document with their respective border states and the United States border tribes, in accordance with the each country’s laws and regulations.

In order to implement this document and whereas:

The mission of the Border XXI Program is to achieve a clean environment and protect public health and natural resources in the U.S.-Mexico border region, and the Border XXI Framework Document was developed to express certain concepts, goals, and understandings among participating stakeholders;

The environmental directors of the ten border states, during their third annual retreat, submitted a joint proposal to the National Coordinators of the Border XXI Program expressing their opinion on the Program’s implementation process and offering recommendations for improving state participation in the Program, including developing systematic, standard organizational procedures to facilitate state participation;

The National Coordinators indicated support for the ten border states to play a more active role as participants in the Border XXI Program: in Mexico, officials from SEMARNAP and the six Mexican border states met three times, and on July 17, 1998, in Saltillo, Coahuila, agreed to specific procedures for coordination, such as establishing a list of issues to analyse together; in addition, the Mexican National Coordinator provided a written response to the Mexican states on October 13, 1998; in the United States, the Regional Administrator of EPA’s Region 6 office, on behalf of the U.S. National Coordinator, addressed the concerns of the U.S. states at the Ten States meeting on October 20, 1998, and subsequently confirmed EPA’s response in a letter to the U.S. states on December 7, 1998 (see attachments);

U.S. Indian Tribes are sovereign nations, and all Indian communities in the border area have a long tradition of stewardship of the border region, which calls for their active participation in the Border XXI Program, workgroups, and subworkgroups;

State participation in border environmental programs requires an accelerated process of decentralization of environmental management, and one of the principal objectives of Border XXI is decentralization;

The Signatories recognize the benefits and importance of coordinating their efforts in developing and implementing the Border XXI Program, within their respective jurisdictions;

Therefore, the following principles of coordination are established:

1. The Signatories to these Coordination Protocols are the Border XXI National Coordinators, the participating agencies of the Mexican and U.S. border states and the U.S. border tribes.
2. The Signatories agree to actively participate in Border XXI, within their respective jurisdictions, working together to establish goals and objectives, identify activities, and secure the necessary resources to meet those goals, objectives, and activities; agreeing on dates and agendas for important meetings; and reporting and measuring the outcomes of those goals, objectives, and activities.
3. The Signatories, including federal, state, and Tribal representatives, have the same opportunity and responsibility to serve as members of workgroups and co-chairs of subworkgroups.
4. Each Signatory, through Border XXI workgroup and subworkgroup members, shall seek and facilitate meaningful participation of individuals, groups, and communities that have requested an opportunity to participate.
5. To promote progress towards workgroup and subworkgroup objectives, each Signatory, through Border XXI workgroup and subworkgroup members, shall commit to frequent and consistent communication within and between workgroups, and subworkgroups; providing regular updates on critical and pending issues of concern; and appointing contact persons for coordination and communication for the Border XXI workgroups.
6. Recognizing the unique cultural and technical differences in methods of communication that exist among members, the National Coordinators shall provide written translation of pre-meeting documents and simultaneous interpretation in English and Spanish for the annual National Coordinators’ Meeting and workgroup meetings; in addition, EPA and SEMARNAP, working together with the states, shall endeavor to provide written translation of pre-meeting documents and simultaneous interpretation during subworkgroup meetings.
7. The Signatories shall ensure that each Border XXI workgroup and subworkgroup meets regularly, with each meeting announced in as timely a fashion as possible (at least one month in advance), and each workgroup and subworkgroup shall have a draft agenda for each meeting distributed to workgroup and/or subworkgroup participants at least two weeks prior to a meeting.
8. EPA and SEMARNAP, the National Coordinators of Border XXI, shall create an email address list of Border XXI contacts.
9. Workgroup and subworkgroup co-chairs shall provide timely notice of meetings; give prompt notice of events and other relevant activities taking place within border communities; provide regular updates on commitments made during workgroup and subworkgroup meetings; and prepare and distribute meeting minutes and/or summaries.
10. The Signatories shall provide to each other and to interested individuals, groups and communities, timely notice of public meetings, workshops, and other relevant events taking place within border communities.
11. The Signatories shall work together to identify and secure funds to support travel and per diem expenses of participants as required.
12. SEMARNAP and EPA shall announce the time and location of the Border XXI Program National Coordinators Meeting at least two months in advance.

NATIONAL COORDINATORS:
 

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS:
 

Gregg A. Cooke                                  Date Region 6

Felicia Marcus                                Date Region 9

STATE ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES: (Signed)

ARIZONA

BAJA CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA

CHIHUAHUA

COAHUILA

NUEVO LEON

SONORA

TAMAULIPAS

TEXAS

UNITED STATES TRIBES (Open for signature)

AGUA CALIENTE

BARONA

BARO-LONG

CAHUILLA

CAMPO

COCOPAH

CUYAPAIPE

ISLETA DEL SUR PUEBLO

JAMUL

LA JOLLA

LA POSTA

LOS COYOTES

MANZANITA

MESA GRANDE

PALA

PAUMA

PASCUA YAQUI

PECHANGA

QUECHAN

RAMONA

RINCON

SAN PASQUAL

SANTA YSABEL

SYCUAN

TOHONO O’ODHAM

TORRES-MARTINEZ

VIEJAS