Government attorney tells court no final plans decided for park construction
The federal government agreed in court on Friday to extend a pause on border-related construction in Big Bend National Park until mid-September, according to the Associated Press. The extension was welcomed by groups challenging the contentious project in the area.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection had already paused activity in the park after Commissioner Rodney Scott visited the area last week to consult with local officials. Scott’s earlier pause had been slated to expire on Monday.
Scott’s visit came after bulldozers began plowing through parts of the park in far south Texas. The bulldozing drew widespread outrage from critics of the project.
At the time, the Department of Homeland Security said the bulldozers were not launching into full construction but were part of initial design and survey work.
In Big Bend National Park, the government’s plans have included building a new road, installing detection technology, and erecting barriers to stop vehicles from crossing the border. An attorney for the government emphasized in court on Friday that no final plans have been decided for what will be built in the park, leaving the project’s shape unresolved as the pause stretches into September.
The Friday extension follows the pause Rodney Scott announced last week and the bulldozing at the park that preceded it. MSI previously reported on the initial pause and on the bulldozing that prompted it.