For Immediate Release, February 15, 2019

Contact: Andrea Santarsiere, (303) 854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org

On Northern Border, Trump Administration Plans Destructive Road in Prime Grizzly, Lynx, Caribou Habitat

SANDPOINT, Idaho— The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Forest Service have announced plans to build a road in Idaho’s Selkirk Mountains that will cut through some of the most important habitat for grizzly bears and Canada lynx, as well as mountain caribou, which recently went extinct on the U.S. side of the border.

Bog Creek Road would be in Boundary County, Idaho, in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.

“Trump’s clearly not satisfied with just destroying our southern borderlands. This totally unnecessary new road will ruin habitat for grizzlies and other wildlife in this pristine area in northern Idaho,” said Andrea Santarsiere, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Selkirks are a beautiful, wild mountain range, and this road will be devastating.”

The Customs and Border Protection agency argues the road is needed for “legitimate threats” to border security but has not provided the public with any evidence to back up this claim. The agencies plan to forge ahead despite public opposition and despite the grave environmental harm that will be caused by the road.

“We believe this road construction project violates the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and we’re prepared to fight to protect this crucial wildlife habitat,” said Santarsiere.