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Noem Waives Environmental Reviews for 17 Miles of Rio Grande Floating Barriers

The decision unlocks Trump-era wall funding to fill border waterway gaps identified by CBP as risky for illicit crossings.

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Overview

  • Noem’s signature on the sixth NEPA waiver accelerates installation of 17 miles of floating river barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.
  • CBP identified waterways along the Southwest border as security gaps where drug smuggling, human trafficking and dangerous crossings occur.
  • The barriers will be placed in stretches of the Rio Grande where Texas-installed buoys triggered lawsuits over federal enforcement interference and drowning hazards for migrants.
  • The waiver bypasses both environmental assessments and navigational permits normally required for federal waterway projects.
  • Funds stem from fiscal 2021 Trump-era wall appropriations reactivated under the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act.