Laredo City Council delays decision on road project along the river

LAREDO, TX (KGNS) - It was a controversial issue during the Monday, May 15 city council meeting. Officials gathered to discuss the language of the agreement between the city and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for a construction project of a road along the Rio Grande.

Following the lengthy three-hour deliberation, council decided to delay moving forward with the agreement for two weeks, with plans to return with revised language before putting it up for a vote once again.

The proposed agreement aimed to provide CBP support for border security efforts. However, environmentalists have expressed reservations, citing potential harm to the river. The additional two-week period will allow for a more comprehensive review of the agreement. Councilmember for District 1, Gilbert Gonzalez, said, ”It’s coming along. It’s going to come. It will be a win-win situation for both sides, for our federal agents and environmentalists. So, we’re putting the pieces together. It will take us less than two weeks. We’re going to bring it back and vote on it. It should pass with all those fixes that we will put in the licensing agreement and the contract.”

The decision reached by the council at the end of this two-week period will not only determine the course of action for CBP but also shape the broader conversation surrounding border security and environmental conservation.

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