“Build levees not walls” has been Hidalgo County’s motto since the federal government’s plan to build 70 miles of fencing from Roma to Brownsville was revealed in May 2007. Today that saying is not just a motto but a reality as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the acceptance of Hidalgo County’s alternative plan — an 18-foot concrete flood protection structure — as opposed to border fencing. The structure proposed by Hidalgo and Cameron counties along with the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission will be constructed on seven segments totaling 22 miles of river levee in Hidalgo County. The federal government will not construct a fence in Hidalgo County.
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff made the landmark announcement at the U.S. Border Patrol Rio Grande Valley Sector Headquarters in Edinburg to a crowd of local state and federal elected officials and media from around the nation. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn Congressman Henry Cuellar and Gov. Rick Perry took part in the official announcement too. USIBWC Commissioner Carlos Marin and Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos also attended the announcement.
Chertoff said the levee structure would serve the Border Patrol’s operational needs and the community’s needs to upgrade the levees to protect from national disaster. He explained the timeline for construction of the 22 miles of vertical wall levee would be by the end of 2008 which is the same timeframe in which Hidalgo County intends to complete the most critical 18 miles of IBWC owned levee in the western part of the county. The two projects are separate but complimentary to one another.
Chertoff singled out the work of Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas III and the Commissioners’ Court for its “vision and energy.”
Gov. Perry added: “It’s been their input that really created the stimulus … They understood there was a solution not only to securing the border but allowing the economy to continue to grow.”
Judge Salinas said some of the benefits to the locally devised plan are that the structure will use existing right of way and landowners like the ones in Granjeno will not have to give up their property. The structure will help secure the border without putting up a fence that would be detrimental to wildlife on the river and trade relationships with Mexico. The plan is also less costly to taxpayers. The rehabilitation of the entire river levee system was estimated to cost $125 million and this partnership puts Hidalgo County significantly closer to its goal of fixing the entire system.
“We are pleased that an agreement has finally been reached” Judge Salinas said. “Everyone came together on this important issue and working together we found a win-win solution. This solution will help us concentrate our work on the other sections of the IBWC river levee that need to be fixed.”
“This is a great day but there is still more work to be done” Judge Salinas said. “The entire levee system is a federal responsibility. We are still seeking to recapture local funds for the miles of IBWC levee that aren’t part of DHS’ plan. We are confident our federal elected officials who have done so much work for us already will continue to be part of our team and work to continue the economic vibrancy of this region. We hope too that Hidalgo County’s solution to the border fence will become a model for other communities who also don’t think a fence is the right fit for them.”
