Updated June 8, 2026
Editor’s note: This updates with reaction from Keep Big Bend Wild.
Months of waffling over how it might construct a border wall through Big Bend National Park took on some clarity Monday when the Department of Homeland Security waived all environmental regulations that normally would need to be followed to construct a wall there.
In a six-page decision statement the department said the waiver of the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National Park Service Organic Act, the Clean Water Act, the Historic Preservation Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, the Paleontological Resources Protection Act, the Federal Caves Protection Act, and a slew of other environmental laws was needed “in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border in the state of Texas.”
The order drew immediate harsh criticism from conservation and park advocates.
Read the full article at National Parks Traveler.
Comments are closed