Overview
- In court filings Tuesday the government said U.S. Customs and Border Protection is “actively considering adjustments” to reduce the scope of planned work inside Big Bend National Park.
- CBP paused construction-related activity in August after survey vehicles and bulldozers were seen in the park and later expanded that pause while it engaged with the National Park Service and other stakeholders.
- Agency plans previously dropped a 30-foot bollard wall through the park but still include proposals for a patrol road, vehicle barriers, lights and sensors that opponents say would harm fragile ecosystems and cultural sites.
- The government said it will move ahead with construction on a separate more than 60-mile stretch of private land west of the park, including plans for a 30-foot fence, and it may refer resistant landowners to the Justice Department for condemnation.
- Multiple lawsuits from tribes, landowners and environmental groups remain active and could affect timing and scope, and local officials warn that road and barrier work could harm tourism, wildlife and archaeological resources.