Military Presence on Roosevelt Reservation Raises Environmental Concerns
The U.S. military has recently been granted authority to oversee the Roosevelt Reservation, a federally controlled 60-foot-wide strip of land along the U.S.-Mexico border, following a directive from President Donald Trump. This area, which includes stretches in Arizona, is now a new focus of military operations.
Conservationists are expressing concerns about the potential implications of this military oversight. Russ McSpadden from the Center for Biological Diversity highlights the importance of this region, emphasizing its role as a habitat for numerous species. “It’s an incredible landscape that is very sensitive and so, having military operations out there, we do have great concerns about that,” McSpadden noted.
This region, characterized by its sky islands, serves as a crucial ecosystem for a variety of wildlife, including jaguars, ocelots, bears, and mountain lions. McSpadden points out the potential risks of militarization to these biodiverse areas, noting that the order allows military activities to bypass existing environmental regulations and protections.
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