National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Route 1, Box 100 Ajo, AZ 85321 (520) 387-6849 phone (520) 387-7144 fax

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

August 7, 2003

Intermountain Region News Release

Park Service Approves Environmental Assessment
for Vehicle Barrier at Organ Pipe Cactus and Coronado National Monuments

DENVER - The National Park Service (NPS) will begin constructing a vehicle barrier along the U.S./Mexican border at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southwestern Arizona and Coronado National Memorial in southeastern Arizona, the agency announced August 7.

On July 25, Karen Wade, regional director of the NPS's Intermountain Region, signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) that documents findings and decisions made as the result of the environmental assessment process. Signing the FONSI allows the NPS to proceed with construction of a vehicle barrier along a one-mile stretch of border at Coronado and along the 30-mile stretch of border at Organ Pipe Cactus. The vehicle barrier is designed to stem the huge increase in cross border drug smuggling and traffic by undocumented aliens.

The vehicle barrier is needed at both parks to help protect the desert environments from impacts associated with illegal smuggling by vehicles crossing the border. Vehicle traffic into Organ Pipe Cactus has produced approximately 50 miles of illegal roads per year, harming the park's sensitive plants and animals and creating safety risks for employees and visitors. Last year, the need for the barrier along the Organ Pipe Cactus/ Mexico border was vividly demonstrated by the shooting death of Organ Pipe Cactus ranger Kris Eggle, who was killed in August 2002 by Mexican drug smugglers who crossed into Organ Pipe in a vehicle.

The National Park Service prepared an environmental assessment (EA) of the vehicle barrier project which examined the potential short-term construction-related impacts associated with the barrier, as well as the long-term environmental benefits and consequences of the barrier. The wildlife-friendly barrier will consist of one horizontal railroad rail secured with concrete-filled posts or rail spaced every 5 feet. In some areas, a movable "Normandy style" barrier will be used where terrain or subsurface conditions make post construction difficult.

Short-term impacts associated with construction of the barrier include disturbance of vegetation in some areas to construct the barrier. Portions of the project areas have already been disturbed by the existing boundary and patrol roads or by illegal vehicle use. Long-term benefits would result from revegetation of illegal roads and areas affected by construction activities.

The environmental assessment identified potential impacts to four endangered or threatened species found at Organ Pipe Cactus: the Quitobaquito pupfish, found in the pristine and sensitive Quitobaquito Springs; the lesser long-nosed bat; the Sonoran pronghorn; and the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl. One species, the lesser long-nosed bat, is also found at Coronado.

The park service, in consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, has developed mitigation measures to minimize any potential impacts of the project on these sensitive species. Measures to avoid harming the Quitobaquito Pupfish include prohibiting construction activities within 200 feet of the pond; prohibiting the removal of water for construction purposes from Quitobaquito Springs or related waters; and prohibiting blasting within two miles of Quitobaquito.

Efforts to protect the Lesser long-nosed bat include revegetating areas disturbed by construction as well as illegal roads; monitoring impacts of illegal activity on bats; implementing measures to protect bat roosts when necessary; controlling non-native plants; and implementing a bat recovery plan. (Similar efforts will be undertaken to protect the bat population at Coronado.) Efforts to protect the Cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl include salvaging cacti that will be uprooted by the construction, controlling non-native plants, surveying owl populations and, where necessary, limiting construction activity near owl nesting areas. Efforts to protect the Sonoran pronghorn include revegetating previously disturbed areas, and continung NPS funding and support of basic research, inventory, and monitoring of the Sonoran Pronghorn. Efforts to protect all species include a joint comprehensive plan between the NPS and the border patrol to manage human activity in backcountry areas associated with illegal traffic and law enforcement activities. All species are expected to benefit in the long term from decreased illegal access onto park lands from Mexico.

The project description and associated mitigation measures can be found in the FONSI. A hard copy of the FONSI can be obtained by calling by Superintendent Bill Wellman, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, (520) 387-7661 x7500, or it may be accessed on the park websites, http://www.nps.gov/orpi/pphtml/facts.html (Organ Pipe Cactus); http://www.nps.gov/coro/pphtml/facts.html (Coronado).