New BECC and NADB Top Officials meet with Chihuahua Governor

Rafael Servando Portillo, Secretary of Urban Development and Ecology welcomed the officials from these two institutions and highlighted that "environmental protection in Chihuahua is a priority of the Chihuahua Vive program currently being advanced by the Governor. In the context of the environment, he said, this program "has a binational component," and that is a reason for celebrating the presence of the BECC and the NADB.

The joint presentation made by the two institutions emphasized that within the state, their programs have helped to certify and build 23 projects that exceed US $340 million, including 17 water and wastewater projects, two municipal solid waste projects, and technical upgrades to Irrigation District 005 in Delicias. BECC and NADB officials said there are projects in the pipeline that represent an estimated investment of US $32.56 million, including the continuation of water and wastewater projects in the Valley of Juarez, and the continuation of the sanitation program of Juarez.

During her remarks, General Manager Giner "reaffirmed BECC's commitment to and support for the State of Chihuahua." Additionally, NADB's Managing Director Gutierrez underscored that "this is the first time that the two institutions introduce themselves to a new state administration to offer support for its programs…".

In closing the meeting, the Governor noted that Chihuahua has significant needs, in that it faces backlogs in the areas of road paving, promoting sustainable urban mobility (particularly in Chihuahua City and Juarez), and replacing wastewater collectors in Juarez, among others.

For Governor Duarte, "there are many needs… but there are also numerous opportunities, such as reforestation using innovative carbon bond schemes." He asked to work in coordination on projects submitted by state agencies, to seek competitive funding by taking advantage of "the willingness of these two institutions and all the opportunities afforded by them." In this regard, he proposed to schedule a meeting in early 2011 to review and follow up on his administration's work agenda in coordination with BECC and NADB.