Rio Grande Riverfront Coordination and Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee Meeting, 03/12/2026

The City of Laredo's Rio Grande Riverfront Coordination and Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee met on March 12, 2026, primarily to discuss the potential impacts of the proposed federal border wall and buoy system on city infrastructure and riverfront conditions. A key focus was on the lack of technical data and environmental impact studies provided by federal authorities, as the National Environmental Policy Act requirements had been waived for this project. The committee heard a detailed presentation from Dr. Mark R. Tommpkins, a civil engineer and fluvial geomorphologist, who highlighted risks including hydraulic obstruction, geomorphic changes, debris loading, structural failure, and ecological impacts. Committee members expressed concern about the potential damage to critical infrastructure such as international bridges and water treatment facilities, and the absence of comprehensive flood and erosion modeling specific to the Laredo area. Motions were passed to request the City Council to expand the committee's scope to include federally owned riverbed property and to recommend hiring independent experts to assess the project's effects on city infrastructure. The committee emphasized the urgency of obtaining detailed studies and data to inform mitigation strategies and protect the community's long-term interests.