This article is one of a series that looks back at the history of transboundary pollution.
Before he was a U.S. Congressman and a County Supervisor, Brian Bilbray was known for one action that demonstrated his commitment to his constituents and clean beaches. When Bilbray was mayor of Imperial Beach, he took a stand against sewage pollution from Mexico with Operation Beaver. This June marked the 45th anniversary of Operation Beaver, when Bilbray and the entire council attempted to dam the mouth of the Tijuana River and block sewage from entering the ocean using skip loaders.
Bilbray was a young man then, who was elected mayor after serving two years as a councilmember. He was not afraid to take risks and make bold statements, which is something he still does to this day. He remains convinced that this is what it takes to solve the problem of transboundary pollution that has been plaguing Imperial Beach and the South Bay since the 1930s…