Maverick County Citizens public comment invited on U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Environmental Assessment on Mechanical Control of Carrizo Cane in Rio Grande River Basin

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the availability of and invitation for public comment on the Environmental Assessment (EA) Draft supporting the mechanical control of Carrizo cane in the Rio Grande River Basin in Texas.

Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas citizens are encouraged and invited to submit their public comment regarding the draft Environmental Assessment supporting the mechanical control of Carrizo Cane in the Rio Grande River basin.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, CBP has prepared the Draft Environmental Assessment to identify and assess the potential impacts associated with the proposal to conduct mechanical control of Carrizo cane in the Rio Grande River basin in Texas.  

The purpose of the Proposed Action is to implement the mechanical cane control method to rapidly decrease cane height to ensure sufficient visibility of critical areas in the Rio Grande basin and provide access to these areas by U.S. Border Patrol Agents.  The Proposed Action is needed to maintain border security within the Rio Grande basin, according to CBP.

The Draft Environmental Assessment allegedly complies with NEPA, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations in 49 CFR Parts 1500-1508, and DHS Directive 023-01(Environmental Planning Program). 

Electronic copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment can be downloaded from the project Web Site at http://www.cbp.gov/about/environmental-culture stewardship/CBP-environmental-documents.

Hard copies of the Draft Environmental Assesment can be reviewed at the Eagle Pass Public Library, 5091 Taft Street, in Eagle Pass, Texas; Val Verde County Library, 300 Spring Street, in Del Rio, Texas; Laredo Public Library, 1120 East Calton Road, in Laredo, Texas; and at other public libraries through the Texas-Mexcio border.

All Maverick County citizens wishing to make public comments regarding the Draft Environmental Assessment supporting the mechanical control of Carrizo cane in the Rio Grande basin must be received by September 6, 2016.

Citizens wishing to make public comments must use only one of the following methods too submit comments:

1. By email to: Joseph.zidron@cbp.dhs.gov or

2. By mail to: Carrizo Cane Mechanical Control EA, c/o Joseph Zidron, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 24000 Avila Road, Suite 5020, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.

When submitting comments, please included your name, address, and identify your comments as for the Carrizo CAne Mechanical Control EA.  Requests for information can be submitted to: Joseph Zidron, Border Patrol Facilities and Tactical Infrastructure, 24000 Avila Road, Suite 5020, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677; or by telephone to: (949) 643-6392.

The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council unanimously passed a resolution on June 7, 2016 in opposition to the spraying of herbicides on Carrizo cane on the Rio Grande basin due to the potential contamination of the City’s only potable water source, the Rio Grande.  Interim City Manager Roberto Gonzalez advised the City Council that a similar program was done in 2009 and the Eagle Pass Water Works System had to shut down the local municipal water treatment plant for two days after spraying of heribicides on the Rio Grande to avoid the contamination of the local potable water supply.  Gonzalez also advised City Council that all of the cities and counties on the Texas-Mexico border oppose the spraying of herbicides to eliminate or control the Carrizo cane on the Rio Grande basin.