IBWC Discusses Border Fences in Starr County




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Posted: Aug 29, 2012 9:00 PM Updated: Aug 29, 2012 10:32 PM

STARR COUNTY - The United States Section of the International Boundaries and Water Commission on Wednesday held an open meeting in Rio Grande City to discuss the proposed border fences in Starr County.



IBWC officials said they held the meeting to clear up misconceptions about studies they conducted for Homeland Security.

The IBWC already approved the fences, even though Homeland Security in Washington said it has no plans to build the segments because of lack of funding.

"Without any scientific data to support their contention we cannot disapprove the project," said Jose Nunez, chief of IBWC engineering services.

Nunez said the IBWC didn't need Mexico's agreement to approve the project.

He said most of the projects they've researched for Homeland Security have been built.

"I think this meeting should have been held a long time ago ... before the decision was made," said Scott Nicol, with No Border Walls. "They're trying to play catch up now."

"In some places it will be perpendicular to the flow, and therefore it would get the same kind of re-clog," Nicol said.

Nicol said the fences would channel water into communities north of the river resulting in flooding.

"The pictures Mr. Nicol showed from Arizona, we're looking at a fence that's running perpendicular to an arroyo, here the fence for the most part is running parallel to the flows," Nunez said.

"I think Homeland Security wants to go ahead and build the wall, otherwise they wouldn't have gone through so much trouble. I think its now up to the State Department to overrule the IBWC's decision," Nicol said.

IBWC Discusses Border Fences in Starr County | KRGV.com | CHANNEL 5 NEWS | Breaking News Breaking Stories