$50M To Offset Impact Of Border Fence

Homeland Security Earmarks Funds To Mitigate Environmental Impact On Species, Terrain

(CBS/AP)  The Department of Homeland Security will allocate as much as $50 million to mitigate the environmental impact of the U.S.-Mexico border fence ordered by the Bush administration.

The agency signed an agreement Wednesday with the Department of the Interior to set aside funds for projects that the Interior department determines will soften the environmental damage caused by the fence.

"Today's signing of this memorandum of agreement demonstrates that our commitment is not only words, but actual resources, which have been set aside to allow DOI to mitigate the impact of our border security efforts in environmentally sensitive areas," Customs and Border Protection Commissioner W. Ralph Basham said in a statement released Thursday. The Department of Homeland Security includes Customs and Border Protection, which is overseeing the fence project.

The Department of Interior must give DHS its list of proposals by June 1.

The environmental consequences have been part of the loudest opposition to building 670 miles of pedestrian fence and vehicle barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Environmentalists also claimed during the summer that flooding caused by the border fence in southwestern Arizona showed the structure was being built too quickly and without regard for the environment.

"It's about time," said Julie Hillrichs, spokeswoman for the Texas Border Coalition, a group of politicians and business leaders opposed to the fence. "DHS officials finally got around to doing what the Texas Border Coalition has been asking them to do for at least six months. We support it completely."

Matt Clark, southwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said he expected the projects to target threatened and endangered species most affected by the fence.

"It demonstrates goodwill on the part of both agencies," Clark said. "We see this as a down payment; $50 million will not come close to fixing the damage caused by the wall. Some of these impacts may not be able to be offset."

On April 1, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff used authority granted by Congress to waive a host of environmental protection laws sparking howls of opposition and lawsuits. At that time, Chertoff promised the agency would be a good environmental steward even while the change allowed speedier construction of the fence.

In place of the established environmental impact statements that require a long list of extensive studies, the agency developed its own plans. Some, including one for the Rio Grande Valley that would clear about 508 acres of land, acknowledged the fence would affect wildlife and "potential for gene flow" because some species cross the border into Mexico to mate.

Seventeen of the 21 fence sections in the Valley will affect wildlife management areas or national wildlife refuges, 14 of them directly.

[militades-2009]

I was for a wall with manned military towers and checkpoints and computerized underground radar detection to pinpoint the exact location of where a tunnel was being built, so US Forces can go in and seal the tunnel permanently on the American side. Instead, Bush spent all the money on the Iraq War and fully repairing their infrastructure.

Some environmentalists are a little to extreme! How is a fence going to do much pollution compared to Co2 emissions produced by automobiles. Seriously, so many people have their thumb shoved up their *** these days.

[blackyowe]

They will just make more tunnels. What a waste of money and of the envirionment.

[tincup356]

Environmentalists also claimed during the summer that flooding caused by the border fence in southwestern Arizona showed the structure was being built too quickly and without regard for the environment. ..........The fence caused flooding?...BS and so is spending 50 million to do studies.torrential rains cause floods ...not fences.Some of the things our government comes up with to waste money.

[tincup356]

Hacker1 ...if we have a wheelbarrow does that mean we can contract out on Obama''s highway construction?

[mdalerwill]

I check back in every once in a while and it''s still just Hacker1001...talking to himself....tumbleweeds rolling across the screen....

[mdalerwill]

Hacker1001...yawn.

[mdalerwill]

I don''t know where he''s from or what he does, but apparently he did something heroic as a child and is therefore better than the pilot, who only did what he was trined to do. Oh, and he hates educated people and says "idiot" alot and commands that you not respond to him. Unfortunately for him, I don''t think he''s a troll, which is really sad.

[mdalerwill]

No he''''s not Will....he sounds like that all the time.
So where''''d my sweet little Mrs. Premise run off to!?
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Posted by IndepTex at 04:17 PM : Jan 16, 2009

Ahhh, that''s just him then, huh? Interesting that he keeps switching between "your" and "our" when taking about America. Does he happen to live under a bridge?

I haven''t spotted any recent posts by your "lady" love, so I''m having to make do rattling the cage of some guy over on one of the airplane crash articles who''s arguing that the pilot is not a real hero like him. :)

[mdalerwill]

Posted by Hacker1001 at 04:08 PM : Jan 16, 2009

You''re just ranting now and sounding every bit as jingoistic as the people you are supposed to hate.

[jsd330]

The only reason that the Texas Border coalitian is complaining, is it will be harder for them to get illeagle cheap labor for their business''s.