AUSTIN, Texas _ As U.S. Customs and Border Protection moves forward on plans to build nearly 90 miles of new border fence in the Rio Grande Valley, construction is already underway on what will be dozens of large border wall gates that some fear will hinder the public's access to wildlife preserves and the migration of threatened and endangered species.
In December, the agency awarded a gate construction contract worth up to nearly $6 million to a San Antonio company whose owner has deep ties to Austin and is a former Democratic political candidate.
The contract calls for the construction of seven gates in Cameron County and comes with an option to build an additional four. In 2017, Congress approved funding for 35 gates in the Rio Grande Valley to plug gaps in existing fencing, often at roads or entrances to wildlife refuges, agricultural land or private property. During the last round of border fence construction a decade ago, property owners living or working south of the fence were given access codes to allow them to open the gates.
Border Patrol officials said the seven gates will be built in Brownsville, El Ranchito, Los Indios, Rangerville and Santa Maria. One of the most eastern locations will be at the entrance to the 1,014-acre Southmost Preserve in Brownsville, which the Nature Conservancy calls the "Jewel of the Rio Grande Valley."
"(M)any would argue that Southmost Preserve is one of the most ecologically important pieces of land remaining in the Valley," the conservancy, which has operated the preserve since 1999, says on its website.
The preserve is home to one of the few remaining stands of native sabal palm trees in the U.S., endangered and threatened species like the southern yellow bat, the Texas tortoise and the black-spotted newt, as well as nurseries where wildlife scientists study about 30 varieties of native plants. Universities also regularly conduct research at the preserve, said program manager Sonia Najera.
Najera said she is unsure what the impact will be on operations, especially for visiting researchers. "Right now we come and go as needed," she said. "Absolutely we are worried about access."
She said she's been told that staffers would be getting training on using access codes and that Customs and Border Protection would consider the possibility of leaving the gate open during business hours. "If we have limited access, that could limit researchers onto our preserve," Najera said.
Border Patrol officials told the Austin American-Statesman last week that the agency will work "with all landowners including those with public access to be able to accommodate the ease of accessibility. Gates can be left open during business hours or any other timeframe at the landowner's request."
The first batch of border wall gates are expected to be completed by this fall, when construction on the remaining 28 gates are scheduled to begin, Border Patrol officials said. The construction timeline is approximately one year, they said.
