Trump administration waives environmental safeguards to fast-track 69 miles of border fence construc

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Texas Tribune

The Trump administration on Friday announced it is waiving several regulations in order to fast-track construction of nearly 70 miles of border barriers and roads in Webb and Zapata counties.

The move marks a significant step in fulfilling Trump's election-year goal to have hundreds of miles of fencing or wall in place by the end of the year. The waiver allows the Department of Homeland Security to circumvent regulations mandated in the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, among others, according to text of the notice posted in the federal register Friday.

The White House said in February its goal was to build 450 additional miles of barrier by the end of 2020. The 69 miles would be in addition to a 52-mile project also underway in Webb County, according to a Customs and Border Protection wall tracker.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said in a statement the administration should concentrate its efforts on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic instead of on building an “expensive, ineffective border wall.”

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/15/trump-wall-fence-regulations/

[kimbutgar]

1. Why is he doing this now when that money could be spend elsewhere?

Oh I know it’s for his re election so he can crow to his cult members he built that wall.

[Initech]

21. He wants to get back to doing those damn MAGA rallies.

He wants to tell people that he built that wall (sort of), he conquered coronavirus (he didn't), and he is going to send armies to conquer the vast regions of space (WTF?).

I miss the days when our president wasn't an insane jackass.

[mr_lebowski]

2. I cannot believe he can waive away these safeguards with the stroke of a fucking pen

This is some bullshit, man ...

[riversedge]

14. #CruelisthePoint

[Submariner]

3. All the more wall to tear down starting next January

[EX500rider]

4. Once it is built, what would be the point of tearing it down?

Most of it predates Trump.

"In May 2011, the Department of Homeland Security stated that it had 649 miles (1,044 km) of barriers in place. "


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93United_States_barrier

[Submariner]

6. It is in violation of NEPA and FWPCA because it violates environmental

regulations designed to protect human health and life.

Some stretches of fence are blocking animal migration routes. All these stretches of fence need to be removed and the land contours restored to protect human health and the environment.

[EX500rider]

7. Animals maybe but hard to see how a fence between two countries hurts "human health" nt

[Submariner]

8. If that stretch of fence is in violation of NEPA and the FWPCA

as the article states, then that means the discharge flows from local water ways were altered such that they create a pollution control problem. Since Mexico is downstream of us, Texas and other states have a long standing reputation of fouling the waterway discharges along our border draining into Mexico.

Sewage discharges and stormwater runoff from upstream domestic cattle operations are regularly routed into Mexico by U.S. landowners contouring the land so essentially, shit will run down hill. Wherever Trump's crappy wall upsets the natural drainage it needs to be restored, which means the fence must come down in these protected areas.

[bluestarone]

11. ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY AGREE

[riversedge]

13. #1

[Yeehah]

20. Newsflash!

Humans are animals!

[machoneman]

15. All President Biden need do is to blast a section to dust every 500' or so. Problem solved.

[EX500rider]

17. What problem?

Every administration going back to Bush 1 in 1990 has added to the border wall.

Not much voter enthusiasm for open borders in this country or any other.

[Yeehah]

22. Because if you don't have a wall, you have "open borders."

[EX500rider]

24. Well if you take down a pre existing wall you are certainly closer to that. nt

[Judi Lynn]

10. Absolutely can't wait. He did this when immigration across the border was the lowest in ages.

It has only been a symbolic gesture to pleasure the racists infesting the country, harvest their votes, and to arrange kickbacks in campaign contributions from companies sucking in funding bled from the US taxpayers.

[IronLionZion]

5. The wall can keep out viruses

douchebag's dumbest supporters are online claiming unvaccinated immigrants are bringing deadly viruses to kill us, since that's how vaccines work. Good thing all Americans are vaccinated.

[dhill926]

9. Mr. Biden..."tear down this wall,"

on day 1 of your presidency....

[riversedge]

12. THAT SHOULD BE A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN

[rickyhall]

16. Our neighbor is getting a nice fence to keep gringos out.

[TheFourthMind]

18. "...instead of on building an "expensive, ineffective border wall" that Americans didn't ask for. nt

[maxsolomon]

19. Lawsuit and stay in 3, 2, 1...

You don't get to circumvent NEPA on a whim.

[noneof_theabove]

23. day one for Biden

Executive Order #1

All EOs from Trump are hereby null and void.

The existing regulations, taxes, etc prior to Trump are restored.

-Joe Biden 22 Jan 2021