August, 3, 2026
AUSTIN, TX - The Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter thanks Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for taking decisive action to defend Texas public lands from unauthorized border wall construction. There is no power that should be allowed to bulldoze sensitive desert ecosystems, threaten wildlife habitat, or sidestep environmental laws in the name of political games.
The Borderlands - from El Paso to Big Bend to the Rio Grande Valley - are home to some of Texas' greatest natural and cultural treasures, and deserve protection, not destruction. We call on Governor Abbott to follow Commissioner Buckingham’s lead by publicly opposing the reckless border wall projects throughout Big Bend, and demanding an immediate halt to all construction.
Dave Cortez, Director of the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, added:
"For years, we've warned that border walls are an environmental disaster that fragment wildlife habitat, damage sacred and public lands, and fail to address real and perceived challenges at the border. Landowners, small business owners, and public officials across the political spectrum are being steamrolled by well-paid, out of state federal contractors who are rapidly moving to destroy generational land. Not for security, not for our safety, but for profit pure and simple. We're encouraged to see Commissioner Buckingham defend Texas' public lands, and we urge Governor Abbott to show the same leadership. Protecting the Big Bend region isn’t a partisan issue - it’s a Texas value.”
***