GAO report outlines how border wall construction damaged environment, wildlife, cultural sites

A federal report released Thursday found numerous instances where construction of the border wall during the Trump administration adversely impacted wildlife, the environment and Indigenous and other cultural sites on the Southwest border.

The report by the Government Accountability Office, “Southwest Border: Additional Actions Needed to Address Cultural and Natural Resource Impacts from Barrier Construction,” was prepared at the request of U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, who is ranking member of the House Natural Resource Committee.

The report was meant to analyze how and whether the 458 miles of new border barrier that was built from 2017 to January 2021 affected natural resources and wildlife and tribal and other border cultures.

Since 2017, Arizona had 223 miles of barrier panels built. That’s more than any other state, and 84% was on federal lands that suffered a destruction of habitat and erosion in places like Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument; San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge, and Coronado National Forest, according to the 72-page report.