Federal government to bypass over 30 laws to build border fence

[RB TexLa]

not to mention all the communities the wall will separate needlessly.

Rules to Be Waived for Border Fence

By EILEEN SULLIVAN | Associated Press Writer
10:58 AM CDT, April 1, 2008

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration plans to use its authority to bypass more than 30 laws and regulations in an effort to finish building 670 miles of fence along the southwest U.S. border by the end of this year, federal officials said Tuesday.

Invoking the two legal waivers -- which Congress authorized -- would cut through bureaucratic red tape and sidestep environmental laws that currently stand in the way of the Homeland Security Department building 267 miles of fencing in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, according to officials familiar with the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the waivers had not yet been announced.

The move would be the biggest use of legal waivers since the administration started building the fence, and it would cover a total of 470 miles along the Southwest border. Previously, the department has used its waiver authority for two portions of fence in Arizona and one portion in San Diego.

As of March 17, there were 309 miles of fencing in place, leaving 361 to be completed by the end of the year to meet the department's goal. Of those, 267 miles are being held up by federal, state and local laws and regulations, the officials said.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-border-fence,1,1260544.story?track=rss

[L. Coyote]

1. Which cronies are getting these contracts? What a waste, as people lose homes and go hungry.

[annabanana]

2. What about that crony's estate where the wall "stopped"?

I read about it here a couple of minths ago. There was some big B*sh contributor and the fence stopped at his property line....

[Lance_Boyle]

3. That damned Big Government again.

Where are all the Republican states' rights folks to put a stop to this?

[Vincardog]

4. the Republican states' rights folks only show up when the Democrats are in charge of the Fed