Environment & Climate
Trump administration border wall construction in west Texas threatens ancient rock art
Archaeologists and landowners warn that blasting and heavy machinery could permanently damage fragile limestone murals along the Rio Grande and Pecos River valleys.
The short version
- A proposed 165-mile stretch of border wall and vehicle barriers in west Texas threatens approximately 80 known, millennia-old Indigenous rock art murals.
- The Department of Homeland Security has waived dozens of federal laws that require environmental and historical reviews to speed up construction.
- Experts and local landowners fear that vibrations from heavy machinery and dynamite blasting will trigger limestone spalling, causing the ancient murals to collapse.
Key facts
- Congress allocated $46.5 billion for border wall expansion, with Customs and Border Protection planning 165 miles of vehicle barriers and patrol roads in west Texas.[The Guardian]
- Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. received a $2.7 billion contract to build the barrier, which equates to about $16.5 million per mile.[The Guardian]
- Archaeologist Carolyn Boyd and other researchers warn that construction vibrations and dynamite blasting could cause irreversible limestone spalling, potentially destroying the murals.[The Guardian]
- The proposed barrier route would leave at least 80 known murals on the southern side of the fence, restricting access for researchers and Indigenous communities.[The Guardian]
- The Department of Homeland Security waived dozens of federal environmental and historical review laws to expedite the project.[The Guardian]
- Customs and Border Protection stated that it remains committed to environmental and cultural stewardship and will conduct its own reviews, though it did not address specific questions regarding the rock art.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown exactly how many undiscovered rock art murals lie in the construction path, as comprehensive surveying in the rugged terrain is slow and difficult.[The Guardian]