Community members and environmental groups say they’re beginning to see signs of upcoming border wall construction slated for a stretch of the San Rafael Valley south of Tucson.
The valley is a rugged stretch of grassland dotted with tall mountain ranges that straddles the Arizona-Sonora border. Conservationists have tracked endangered species like the jaguar there, and it’s also home to the San Pedro River.
In June, Homeland Security awarded a roughly $309 million contract to wall off some 27 miles of it. Erick Meza, borderlands coordinator the Sierra Club, says monitors have seen crews conducting land surveys and doing staking in the area in recent weeks. Construction is expected to break ground as early as next week…