The Secretary of State, acting through the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico (hereafter in sections 277g to 277g–3 of this title referred to as the “Commissioner”), is authorized to conclude agreements with the appropriate representative of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Mexico for the purpose of correcting the international problem of pollution of the Rio Grande caused by discharge of raw and inadequately treated sewage and other wastes into such river from the border cities including but not limited to Ciudad Acuna, Nuevo Laredo, and Reynosa, Mexico, and Del Rio, Laredo, and Hidalgo, Texas.

Agreements concluded under subsection (a) should consist of recommendations to the Governments of the United States and Mexico of measures to protect the health and welfare of persons along the Rio Grande from the effects of pollution, including—

(1) facilities that should be constructed, operated, and maintained in each country;

(2) estimates of the cost of plans, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities referred to in paragraph (1);

(3) formulas for the initial division between the United States and Mexico of the cost of plans, constructions, operation, and maintenance of the facilities referred to in paragraph (1);

(4) a method for review and adjustment of the formulas referred to in paragraph (3) at intervals of five years which recognizes that such initial formulas should not be used as a precedent in their subsequent review and adjustment; and

(5) dates for the beginning and completion of construction of the facilities referred to in paragraph (1).

(Pub. L. 100–465, § 2, Oct. 3, 1988, 102 Stat. 2272.)