Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet
Greetings from Sierra Club Borderlands! We have been busily spreading the word about the environmental impacts of U.S. policies that harm our fragile borderlands. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is spending $41 million to replace less than three miles of existing border wall in Nogales. Worse, Republican lawmakers are spearheading an effort to repeal important environmental laws that protect areas where two out of three Americans live. But we'll keep organizing and supporting efforts along our Mexican and Canadian borders to preserve these areas and the wildlife that call them home. Thank you for caring about the border, Dan Millis Borderlands Campaign, Sierra Club (520) 620-6401 dan.millis@sierraclub.org http://arizona.sierraclub.org/conservation/border |
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In this issue:
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Assault on Environmental Laws Launched in Congress Last week, Representative Rob Bishop (R-Utah) unveiled his plan for a massive repeal of environmental laws everywhere within 100 miles of a U.S. land or maritime international border. Bishop's latest blunder, called H.R. 1505, would expand Bush's REAL ID waiver of dozens of federal protection laws along the U.S.-Mexico border and apply it to vast and heavily-populated areas along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. We are launching an action campaign against this bill. Expect to receive more alerts soon. In the meantime, you can join the discussion on the facebook community group, Bishop's Blunders. |
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Costly Border Wall Re-construction in Nogales DHS is currently replacing 2.8 miles of "landing mat" style border wall between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, at a cost to taxpayers of $41 million. Made from recycled military helicopter landing mats from the Persian Gulf conflicts, the old architecture has been blamed for flooding and is certainly an eyesore. It is an example of the kinds of impacts that occur when walls are poorly planned and the environmental impacts are not evaluated. Whether or not the new "bollard" style of border wall will address these and other issues remains to be seen. |
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The Maine Event Sierra Club Borderlands traveled to Maine this month to raise awareness there about environmental threats stemming from U.S. border policy. Campaign Organizer Dan Millis presented to students and faculty at the College of the Atlantic and during the University of Maine's Borderlands Symposium. Students from University of Maine Farmington spoke with staff at Senator Olympia J. Snowe's Auburn office, encouraging her to vote against proposals for additional border walls. We thank them for their hard work! |
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Mock Border Wall Provokes Thought, Controversy In March, students erected a 1,200-foot mock border wall across the central campus mall at the University of Arizona in Tucson to educate and inform students, faculty, and other members of the public about walls and their impacts on people and the environment. The structure stood for nearly two weeks, attracting media attention, strong feelings, and vandalism. Endorsed by Desmond Tutu, similar mock walls have been planned or constructed at Brown University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of New Mexico, and Evergreen. (The owl in the photo was wired to the mock wall. Across its 4-foot wingspan was written, "I fly low to hunt. What is this? I'm dead now. See Wild Versus Wall sierraclub.org.") |
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Join Us on Facebook! Would you like to stay up-to-date on border issues and news? Would you like to learn more about how to get involved? Join us on Facebook! We regularly post news updates, happenings, photos, and more. It's fun and easy! Check us out or search for "Sierra Club Borderlands Campaign" from your Facebook page. |
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"Border Wall in the News" Blog If you're looking for border wall news and don't find it on our Facebook page, we encourage you to check out No Border Wall's "Border Wall in the News" blog. This blog is filled with current news stories and relevant links. Border-wide, it's a great way to stay up-to-date on border wall issues. |