The Pattern of Exclusion
In May 2026, Citizens for Coastal Conservancy was deliberately excluded from a critical Tijuana River Coalition stakeholder meeting. This wasn't an oversight. It was a deliberate decision by institutional actors to silence the only local nonprofit with a proven, cost-effective solution to the sewage crisis.
This exclusion follows a disturbing pattern: When C4CC presents inconvenient truths backed by science and data, institutional actors respond not with evidence-based counterarguments, but with legal threats, exclusion, and institutional gatekeeping.
The 2019 Cease and Desist: A Warning Sign
In October 2019, Surfrider Foundation sent C4CC a cease and desist letter for publishing factual analysis of their sewage plan. Their crime? Pointing out that Surfrider's proposal would increase beach closures by 600% and discharge more sewage offshore.
When C4CC asked for clarification, Surfrider went silent.
But C4CC didn't back down. We continued publishing science-based analysis. And history proved us right: Imperial Beach suffered over 3 consecutive years of beach closures—exactly what we predicted.
The 2026 Coalition Exclusion: History Repeating
Fast forward to May 2026. The Tijuana River Coalition convenes a "comprehensive stakeholder meeting" to discuss sewage solutions. The meeting includes federal agencies (EPA, IBWC), state agencies (California Coastal Commission), county agencies, environmental NGOs, and academic institutions. But NOT C4CC.
Why? Because C4CC's solution—operating PBCILA pumps 24/7 to divert sewage upstream in Mexico—is proven, cost-effective, implementable now, and a threat to institutional interests.
Why This Matters for Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach residents are the ones paying the price for institutional gatekeeping:
- 900+ days of beach closures since 2022
- Beaches closed 56% of the time due to flawed testing
- $23 million wasted on failed solutions
- Sewage still flowing across the border
Meanwhile, the proven solution sits idle: PBCILA pumps operating at 40% capacity when they could operate at 100%.
The Bottom Line
C4CC's exclusion from the Tijuana River Coalition meeting isn't about disagreement over facts. It's about institutional actors protecting their authority and budgets at the expense of Imperial Beach residents.
When local voices are silenced, communities suffer. Imperial Beach has suffered enough.
It's time for institutions to listen to the people who live here, work here, and care about this community. It's time to implement proven solutions. It's time to stop the sewage crisis.