Border security bill irks BWCA advocates
Legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is raising concern about potential development in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The legislation waives environmental regulations for the Department of Homeland Security on public land within 100 miles of an international border.
"What it would allow is activities like road building, fences, vehicles, development of other infrastructure in many of our treasured public lands," said Betsy Daub, policy director for the group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
Sponsors of the legislation say the law would allow the Department of Homeland Security to respond more quickly to security threats, but Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is on record saying the legislation is unnecessary.
A U.S. Senate committee will now consider the bill.
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