Dr. Kim Prather — Dr. Kim Prather is introduced as a scheduled witness, alongside Dr. Sarah Giddings, to speak on scientific issues related to the crisis, including water quality, modeling, air pollution, and related advancements.
Dr. Paula Stigler Granados — Dr. Paula Stigler Granados from San Diego State University is introduced as a witness scheduled to speak on public health impacts.
Dr. Paula Stigler Granados — Introduced as the next panel witness.
Dr. Paula Stigler Granados — Dr. Paula Stigler Granados presented a continuous account of environmental contamination at Saturn Boulevard, explaining that sampling detected many industrial chemicals, drug metabolites, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, antimicrobials, and sulfur compounds, including 106 chemicals unique to the hot spot. She described passive air sampling with silicone wristbands and noted that Saturn Boulevard had the highest concentrations, with a nearby home showing a nearly identical chemical fingerprint, indicating the contamination is infiltrating homes and is not merely background urban pollution. She emphasized that odors are not a reliable warning sign because harmful airborne chemicals may be odorless, and argued that the problem is moving from water to air. She then called for biomonitoring, personal exposure data, and studies that account for confounding pollutants, along with protective interventions such as air purifiers. She also highlighted worse nighttime odors, insufficient purifier access, and health complaints among outdoor workers, military personnel, and lifeguards, while noting that indoor air quality is not being monitored despite resident reports of indoor odors. She concluded that the situation is a public health emergency and a major environmental justice crisis, disproportionately harming vulnerable populations, and said her team is posting near real-time weekly health survey data and continuing longitudinal tracking.
Sergio Dondina — Sergio Dondina of Wild Coast is introduced as a witness speaking on environmental impacts and is identified as the former mayor of Imperial Beach; later references again note him in connection with his time as mayor of Imperial Beach and his role in raising awareness on the issue.
Crystal Irving — Crystal Irving of SEIU Local 221 is introduced as a witness who will speak about worker impacts.
Crystal Irving — Crystal Irving is introduced as part of the next panel witness lineup.
Crystal Irving — President of SEIU Local 221, representing about 14,000 workers in the region, testifies in support of the hearing and park workers.
Tasha Boerner — Tasha Boerner is introduced as part of the San Diego delegation and then introduces herself as Assembly Member for District 77, using her opening remarks to highlight bipartisan concern over the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
Brian Jones — Senator Brian Jones is introduced at the hearing, invited to offer introductory remarks, and explains that he is there to listen and learn, noting his long-standing familiarity with the issue through prior legislative and office experience. He then comments that San Diego has been dealing with the issue for decades, after which the chair and others thank him for his remarks and presence.
Brian Jones — During a brief Q&A exchange, the chair called on Senator Jones, who asked a quick question and complimented the presenters. A nearby mention of Senator Pitya appears to be part of the same discussion, likely a transcription variation or related address within the exchange.
Brian Jones — The speaker urged Senator Jones to look into how much money is being funneled through what he called corruption. This likely refers to Senator Brian Jones, but the transcript only says 'Senator Jones.'
Catherine Blakespear — Thanked for leading the Environmental Quality Committee in Sacramento and the Senate.
Catherine Blakespear — Referenced as having discussed the congressional delegation securing funding.
Catherine Blakespear — Catherine Blakespear is mentioned throughout a continuous committee discussion: she is first addressed directly as Chair, then referenced in the context of the State Water Resources Control Board deciding how to allocate $50 million after a public process, and finally thanked by name along with other legislators for participating in the critical conversation.
Damon Connolly — During a lighthearted aside about the Assembly delegation, the speaker makes a humorous comparison to Damon Connolly, saying they look like him and elaborating that Connolly looks like a football player from Marin.
Assembly Member Tasha Boerner — Referred to her own background as a PTA mom in 2015 and connected local studies to impacts on children.
Kate Sanchez — Assembly Member Boerner is acknowledged multiple times during the hearing: first for her remarks, then for characterizing the matter as a U.S.-wide issue, and finally for being present at the hearing. Together, these mentions reflect general recognition and agreement with her contributions to the discussion.
Supervisor Paloma Aguirre — Was introduced to provide an overview of the crisis and county updates.
Marc Berman — Thanked for convening the hearing; likely refers to Senator Catherine Blakespear.
Paloma Aguirre — Paloma Aguirre introduced herself as chair pro tem of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and shared her personal connection to the issue as a longtime Imperial Beach surfer. She explained that she became involved after realizing she had been surfing in polluted water and seeing Clean Water Now signs on the beach, which launched her advocacy. She then emphasized that the situation is a major environmental and public health emergency and noted that scientific experts in the room would address the issue in greater depth.
Mayor Serge Dedina — Named as her predecessor and described as continuing to fight through nonprofit Wild Coast.
Serge Dedina — Serge Dedina is identified as the person who was already fighting on the issue at the time and who told the speaker that the beach was the most polluted in America, prompting an invitation to volunteer with Wild Coast.
Dr. Prather — Cited as one of the scientists studying the water and air quality impacts of the crisis.
Dr. Prather — Credited, along with Dr. Granados and their teams, for identifying a hotspot in the Tijuana River Valley.
Dr. Prather — The speaker repeatedly references Dr. Prather as a colleague whose presentation and data have helped explain what the team has been observing. Dr. Prather is praised for clearly sharing findings, including nighttime odor spikes, other pollutants being tracked, and the use of advanced instrumentation that may reveal even higher levels than shown by the speaker’s own passive sampling approach. The discussion also notes that Dr. Prather’s methods differ from the speaker’s and that her observations suggest contamination may be moving from water to air.
Dr. Prather — Dr. Prather is referenced as having noted a strong correlation between complaint levels and hydrogen sulfide levels, and later as having indicated in her presentation that P.B. Sela had come back online, providing timing context for the discussion.
Dr. Granados — Cited as one of the scientists studying the water and air quality impacts of the crisis.
Dr. Granados — Dr. Granados is credited, along with Dr. Prather and their teams, for identifying a hotspot in the Tijuana River Valley, and for convening a special team to collect samples as part of that investigation.
Dr. Giddings — The speaker says Dr. Giddings will likely discuss the study.
Dr. Prater — Dr. Prater is referenced as one of the colleagues who will further elaborate on the issue, with the speaker indicating that he and Dr. Grunow will provide a more detailed explanation.
Dr. Grunow — Dr. Prater and Dr. Grunow are identified as the colleagues who will elaborate further on the issue, with the speaker indicating they will provide a more detailed explanation.
the doctors — Referenced as the people who will discuss the more toxic odorless gases in more depth.
Dr. Michael Bates — Identified as a hydrogen sulfide expert from UC Berkeley brought onto the effort.
Ms. Borbiz — Thanked for being present; speaker asks whether she is a doctor.
Josh Becker — Hill identifies himself as coming from Congressman Mike Levin’s office and says he is speaking on behalf of several members of Congress, including Mike Levin. Later in the discussion, he thanks Congressman Levin and his office for their continued interest and support in advancing the work with federal audiences.
Kyle Cray Hill — Introduced as a representative from Congressman Mike Levin's office who will provide remarks.
Chris Rogers — No, this is not Chris Rogers; the transcript says Scott Peters, who is not in the expected member list.
Jessica Caloza — No, this is not Jessica Caloza; the transcript says Sara Jacobs, who is not in the expected member list.
Kyle Hill — Delivers remarks on behalf of several congressional offices regarding cross-border sewage and pollution.
Mina Wadva — Mina Wadva is introduced and then identifies herself as the Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Vice Chancellor of Marine Sciences at UC San Diego.
Dr. Kimberly Prather — Dr. Kimberly Prather is introduced as a presenter and distinguished professor/chair at Scripps Oceanography. The discussion then transitions into her speaking role, highlighting her research on airborne impacts, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality solutions through her leadership of an NSF center focused on the chemistry of the environment.
Al Muratsuchi — Supervisor Aguirre was referenced in a discussion about the model’s connection to human health and infrastructure solutions, with an additional point that the facility is not operating at full capacity.
Prather — Prather introduces the air-focused portion of the presentation, emphasizing that inhalation is the primary route of exposure to pollution and drawing on his career studying what escapes polluted water and affects the air.
Sarah Giddings — Her team’s dye project was used as the basis for asking whether dye could get into the air.
Ramon — Ramon is noted as being present, with the speaker joking that he is famous and then pointing out that he appears in the picture again, as a kind of photo bomber.
Ramon — Ramon is described as a colleague present in the field, shown in a photo, and noted as being embarrassed. The speaker recalls Ramon working in the field with a notepad and pen and being asked to use a respirator, and also says Ramon stepped in to help pull samples when the speaker was feeling sick and tired.
Mara Gile — The speaker says they started working with Mara Gile at the time.
Joe Little — The speaker credits Joe Little with long-term reporting on the issue.
Paula — Referenced as someone who will also speak about San Diego State’s involvement.