Billy Barkto, owner of Far Flung Outdoor Center in Terlingua, says a federal lawsuit has been filed seeking to stop border construction inside Big Bend National Park, with a hearing on a request for a temporary restraining order scheduled for Aug. 28 in San Antonio.
Barkto announced Friday that a court agreement prevents the Department of Homeland Security from beginning work inside the national park before Aug. 31.
“This week, we filed a federal lawsuit and requested an immediate Temporary Restraining Order to stop construction and destruction inside Big Bend National Park,” Barkto wrote in a post from Far Flung Outdoor Center.
A hearing on the request is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at the federal courthouse in San Antonio. A rally is planned outside the courthouse beginning at 9 a.m.
Barkto said heavy equipment has meanwhile been moved out of Big Bend National Park, although construction continues on worker camps and staging areas and equipment continues to arrive in the region.
“This is not over,” he wrote.
The lawsuit comes amid growing opposition to border construction in Big Bend, where federal plans and recent activity have prompted concerns about potential effects on the landscape, wildlife habitat, archaeological resources, the Rio Grande and public access.
The federal government has been preparing for border infrastructure work in the region, including vehicle barriers and extensive road work. The activity inside Big Bend National Park has drawn particular attention because the park protects more than 800,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert, mountains and Rio Grande river corridor along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Barkto and other opponents have argued that border security measures can be implemented without permanently altering the national park.
“We believe border security can be achieved without destroying the landscapes, wildlife habitat, river access and wilderness that make Big Bend irreplaceable,” Barkto wrote.
The legal challenge comes after heavy equipment and construction activity were observed in and around the park, prompting questions about the scope of the federal government’s plans for the Big Bend section of the border.
Barkto is encouraging supporters to travel to San Antonio for the Aug. 28 hearing and rally and asking those unable to attend to spread information about the lawsuit.
“Speaking up matters. Showing up matters. Big Bend matters,” he wrote.
