by Alex Meneses Miyashita
Michael Chertoff
To complete some 500 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border by the end of the year, the U.S. government will waive 36 environmental and management laws that prevent building fences in certain areas.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will use exemptions authorized by Congress to proceed with construction.
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff justified use of the waiver, stating, “criminal activity at the border does not stop for endless debate or protracted litigation.”
“Congress and the American public have been adamant that they want and expect border security,” he added. “We’re serious about delivering it, and these waivers will enable important security projects to keep moving forward.~,
The waivers will free the DHS from exploring and explaining how the fencing would impact the wilderness and wildlife in the areas where the restrictions apply.
Environmental groups have decried the government’s decision.
“The administration is effectively putting America on notice that it will ignore even the gravest concerns about the border wall,” stated National Audubon Society president John Flicker. “The DHS decision to abandon U.S. laws to construct a border fence will jeopardize the economy, quality of life and beauty of south Texas.”
Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club, considered the move “a threat to wildlife and communities along the border.”
One of the exemptions will apply in areas of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas, encompassing about 470 miles. The other will allow construction of 22 miles of fencing in Hidalgo County, Texas.
The DHS claims it remains “deeply committed to environmental responsibility,” and says some of the areas in question have already been reviewed, and that it will conduct further environmental reviews in other areas “before any major construction begins.”
Backing its decision, an opinion piece in World Net Daily criticized environmentalists for not taking into account the human impact on the environment.
“Like environmentalists, politicians generally privilege flora and fauna over folks…Thankfully, a handful of Congress members concluded that the tsunami of illegal trespassers is worse for the environment than the fence itself.”
Other news media, such as The El Paso Times and The New York Times, shared a different view.
“Chertoff has demonstrated that he doesn’t care what people’ particularly border-area residents who will be personally affected, think of the border wall,” states an El Paso Times opinion piece.
“He is showing that laws are minor obstacles to be brushed aside without second thought when deemed necessary.”
The No Border Wall Coalition’ comprised of local groups and activists opposed to building the wall’ called the government’s decision an unprecedented abuse of authority on Secretary Chertoff’s part.”
Sen. Robert Menéndez (D-N,J,) blasted the Bush Administration during a Washington’ D.C, forum April 3 organized by the New Democrat Network.
He accused it of being “fixated on building walls rather than building trust.”
“We need smart borders’ not closed borders’” he said. “This administration does not understand that if you build a ten-foot wall someone will just bring an eleven foot ladder.” Hispanic Link.
