Trump administration delays border wall work in Arizona preserves
A bit of good news for our southern AZ preserves.
The Trump administration has agreed to delay border wall construction through three Arizona preserves as a federal court considers a legal challenge from conservation groups.
Construction of new barrier fencing was slated to begin this week in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and across the San Pedro River.
Instead, some of that work will be delayed until October, according to court records filed by the government late Tuesday.
Its a small but important victory for public lands and wildlife, said Laiken Jordahl, borderlands campaigner for the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity. Every day the project is delayed is a good day.
The center, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and Defenders of Wildlife filed for an emergency injunction last week seeking to block the start of construction.
Jordahl said Tuesdays court filing amounted to a de facto injunction that will give the judge a chance to rule on the merits of the case before irreparable harm is done.
https://tucson.com/news/local/trump-administration-delays-border-wall-work-in-arizona-preserves/article_4e8db4b0-bee1-534d-a4ff-343857cfce9b.html