"President Joe Biden is suspending 26 environmental laws to build a border wall in south Texas, a move announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday. The laws include the Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Policy Act—all waived in favor of constructing a border wall to stop migrants fleeing into the U.S. through Mexico.
DHS plans to build the border wall in Starr County, an area of south Texas spanning the Rio Grande Valley. According to DHS, Border Patrol has recorded more than 245,000 people attempting to enter the U.S. in 2023 in this area.
Environmental activists are speaking out against Biden’s move, saying that the suspension of these environmental laws threatens the habitats of wildlife, including spotted wild cats called ocelots. The administration claims it will reinstate the environmental laws in the area once the border wall’s construction is complete, but some environmentalists say it will be too late."
Nikki Main reports for Earther October 5, 2023.
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