Bulldozers to Tear Through Heart of Sonoran Desert for Trump's Border Wall

[Rhiannon12866]

Last week we received positive news on the border wall's imminent construction in an Arizona wildlife refuge. The Trump administration delayed construction of the wall through about 60 miles of federal wildlife preserves.

The win came shortly after the Center for Biological Diversity asked a federal judge to stop construction in 68 miles of the Arizona border via a filed injunction saying the government unlawfully ignored dozens of laws in place to protect wildlife habitat. The delay is set to last until October, leaving many environmentalists concerned this is only a temporary win. On Thursday EcoWatch teamed up with Center for Biological Diversity Borderlands Campaigner Laiken Jordahl via EcoWatch Live on Facebook to find out what we should expect to happen in the coming weeks and to gain clarity on the energy on the ground of our borderlands.

"This is an important win, but it's so temporary and it's important to stress that," said Jordahl. "Bulldozers are already arriving on site in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the San Pedro River in Arizona."

A temporary win means there is still a plan for bulldozers to tear through wildlife refuges in October. The department of homeland security will replace waist-high vehicle barriers currently in place with a "30 foot impenetrable wall, complete with night lighting and cameras on top," said Jordahl. "It will have a profound impact on wildlife connectivity in ways that these vehicle barriers do not."

Jordahl reiterated the importance of understanding the conservation aspects of vehicle barriers and how the border walls replacing them will have irreparable harm on wildlife — not only 93 endangered species at risk from the wall, but "virtually every single terrestrial animal [that will not be] able to cut across this impermeable barrier."


Read more, includes videos: https://www.ecowatch.com/border-wall-arizona-2639959635.html

[mr_lebowski]

1. Man I hate this so freaking much ... not the victory of course, I mean the Wall ... (nt)

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I know - these are the kinds of stories that get my heart racing

We are facing irreversible damage on so many fronts, seems like we face a new threat every day.

[mr_lebowski]

3. It's not your imagination ... and it's probably over 1 every day, MF45 regime is out of control nt

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Last week I spent a few days with my good friend who lives in rural Vermont

And she doesn't have television. It's not that she doesn't keep up with things, she's pretty proactive and definitely "one of us," but I found I felt much calmer and less panic stricken while I was there and it lasted for awhile. But I think it made a difference that I didn't have access to breaking Trump news 24/7 since I agree that we're hit with numerous panic-inducing news headlines numerous times every day.

[mr_lebowski]

5. I don't have TV either ... I just follow the news on the internet ... esp. here of course ...

Speaking of your trip, sounds blissful

I'm going to be 'drying out' in the mountains near Yosemite for a week in October, gonna try really hard to avoid DU that week ... got some serious detoxing to do, in more ways than one

[Rhiannon12866]

6. I did learn that that way is much less stressful

I wasn't sure my friend had reliable internet, but she did and hooked me up. So I was still able to post my late night comedian threads, but I wasn't able to turn on MSNBC as soon as I got up. Last fall my friend and I got together with other old friends in the mountains of Vermont and I had TV in my room. I turned on MSNBC and my friend with no TV was very interested - since she's heard the voices on radio, but now she could see what they all looked like.

But I do recommend the news detox, my calmer feeling lasted for several days...

[royable]

7. Jordahl was misquoted in the article.

In the video it sounded as though he said "Bulldozers are already arriving on site in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument AND the San Pedro River in Arizona." That would make sense, and he should know, considering that's his area of expertise, and that Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the San Pedro River are about 150 miles apart from each other. What's clear is that the person transcribing the interview and writing the article DIDN'T know that.

The whole situation is quite upsetting, and I wish the Center for Biological Diversity the best of luck in their legal battle, and I support them with my donations.

If the wall DOES go up, I certainly hope that the next administration will order it taken down again to allow for the flow of wildlife to resume. It's a great waste of our taxpayer money in the meantime.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Thanks for catching this! And I sure agree!

I keep thinking that the next administration can't come soon enough - it's going to take a long time to make things right again as it is.