[mou] Rio Grande Valley needs help

[Jim Williams]

Begin forwarded message:
forward by Jim Williams, Wayzata, Minnesota, who looks upon this 
particular part of the immigration debate as an environmental issue 
important to anyone who ever has birded in the Rio Grande Valley.

From: "Nancy Millar" <nmillar at mcallencvb.com>
Date: June 14, 2007 9:00:58 AM CDT

  This is a call for help. The U.S. government is actually serious about
  building a wall along the Rio Grande in the Valley. For so long most 
of us
  down here ignored the idea because it is so obviously ludicrous. It's
  appalling to us that it's not only being taken seriously, but is 
actually
  apparently about to be funded.

  snip

... how much has anyone thought about its effect on the environment? 
Here we
  are, famous for something positive in our country- being the most 
productive
  location for the estimated 65 to 80 MILLION birders in the U.S. to 
visit --
  and the government is planning on building a fence, and clearing 150 
to 250
  feet of brush along the river to do so. Obviously the birds can fly 
right
  over the fence, but destroying their habitat along the river will make 
the
  area perhaps not hostile to them, but certainly a lot less friendly. 
The
  effects will be felt by all things migratory. And for those animals 
that
  can't fly, it will cut off their primary source of water. 
Environmentally
  speaking, this could start a downward spiral from which it could 
literally
  take hundreds of years to recuperate, if the area ever could.

  If you care about these issues, and how they may affect this unique 
birding
  spot, please be part of the solution. Write your U.S. Congressmen and
  Senators and let your feelings be known. It's the only way to stop the 
fence
  and preserve the land at the river. And please do so quickly. This 
issue is
  upon us NOW.

  Many thanks for your efforts. Any other ideas you have on what we can 
do
  would be greatly appreciated. We are moving, and organizing, but there 
is so
  much to do in a very short amount of time.

  Nancy S. Millar
  Vice President and Director
  McAllen Convention and Visitors' Bureau
  McAllen Chamber of Commerce
  P.O. Box 790
  1200 Ash Avenue
  McAllen, Texas 78505-0790
  956-682-2871 x 3013 (voice)
  1-877-MCALLEN (622-5536) (toll free)
  956-631-8571 (fax)
nmillar at mcallencvb.com
  www.mcallencvb.com

  .