Environmentalists Sue to Block US Border Wall with Mexico
Environmentalists Sue to Block US Border Wall with Mexico
By Elliot Spagat
Associated Press
SEPTEMBER 15, 2017
Three advocacy groups sued the federal government Thursday to block construction of a border wall with Mexico, alleging that that Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws.
The Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Legal Defense Fund seek to prevent construction of wall prototypes in San Diego before it begins and halt plans for replacement barriers in San Diego and Calexico, California.
The complaint largely mirrors a lawsuit filed by another advocacy group, the Center for Biological Diversity, but the three organizations each say they have hundreds of thousands of members, bringing more attention and resources to a legal fight over one of President Donald Trump’s key campaign pledges.
The government has waived reviews seven times under a 2005 law to speed construction of border barriers, including twice under Trump. The law allows the government to waive dozens of laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires extensive reviews of environmental impacts.
More:
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/09/15/environmentalists-sue-to-block-us-border-wall-with-mexico/
LBN:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141867187
