McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) -- The Department of Homeland Security says it is waiving more environmental regulations and health rules in order to quickly build more border wall through wildlife refuges in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday announced she has waived regulations to build five miles of new border wall in Starr and Hidalgo counties.

Environmentalists says this includes several sections of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

The segments are paid from Fiscal Year 2019 funds appropriated and approved by Congress and are to connect to existing border wall in the region, DHS says.

This is the seventh environmental waiver Noem has signed relating to border barrier construction on the Southwest border si

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